Half‐Metallic Antiferromagnet as a Prospective Material for Spintronics

Abstract Spintronics is expected as the next‐generation technology based on the novel notch of spin degree of freedom of electrons. Half‐metals, a class of materials which behave as a metal in one spin direction and an insulator in the opposite spin direction, are ideal for spintronic applications. Half‐metallic antiferromagnets as a subclass of half‐metals are characterized further by totally compensated spin moments in a unit cell, and have the advantage of being able to generate fully spin‐polarized current while exhibiting zero macroscopic magnetization. Considerable efforts have been devoted to the search for this novel material, from which we may get useful insights for prospective material exploration.