The role of sp-hybridized atoms in carbon ferromagnetism: a spin-polarized density functional theory calculation

J Phys Condens Matter. 2010 Feb 3;22(4):046001. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/22/4/046001. Epub 2010 Jan 5.

Abstract

We address the room-temperature (RT) carbon ferromagnetism by considering the magnetic states of low-dimensional carbons linked by sp-hybridized carbon atoms. Based on the spin-polarized density functional theory calculations, we find that the sp(*) orbitals of carbon atoms can bring magnetic moments into different carbon allotropes which may eventually give rise to the long-range ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature through an indirect carrier-mediated coupling mechanism. The fact that this indirect coupling is Fermi-level-dependent predicts that the individual magnetism of diverse carbon materials is governed by their chemical environments. This mechanism may help to illuminate the RT magnetic properties of carbon-based materials and to explore the new magnetic applications of carbon materials.