Half-metallic antiferromagnet as a prospective material for spintronics.

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.