Electronic structures and magnetic moments of Fe3+ySi1y and Fe3xVxSi alloys with DO3-derived structure

Abstract
We present ab initio calculations of magnetic moments and local electronic densities of states in binary Fe3+y Si1y and ternary Fe3x VxSi random alloys with DO3-derived structures. The local-spin-density approximation, the linear muffin-tin orbital method, and the coherent-potential approximation (LMTO-CPA) were used. In Fe3+y Si1y the excess (as compared to Fe3Si) Fe atoms occupy the Si[D] sites of the Fe3Si host and create a strong d scattering. A realistic-alloy calculation thus requires the application of the CPA. In both types of alloys the moments of Fe atoms occupying the B sites remain essentially unchanged when the concentrations (y in Fe3+y Si1y, x in Fe3x VxSi) are varied. The Fe[A,C] moments vary almost linearly with y and x, in agreement with experimental observations. The sublattice density-of-states functions provide insight into the site preference for substitutional transition-metal impurities in Fe3Si.