PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF THE WEAK ITINERANT FERROMAGNET COVSB AND RELATED SEMI-HEUSLER COMPOUNDS

CoVSb is a weak itinerant ferromagnet with one electron in the conduct ion band. Its physical properties (magnetization, resistivity, Hall ef fect, thermopower, pressure dependence of resistivity, ESR) and its el ectronic structure calculated by the KKR method are compared to those of some other semi-Heusler phases with semiconducting or metallic beha viour. It appears that the largest magnetic moment is borne by vanadiu m atoms. The Curie temperature is mainly related to Stoner-like excita tions, even if spin fluctuations play an important role as revealed by the resistivity and ESR data. The problem of the atomic disorder betw een transition metals is discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.