Electronic structure and magnetic properties of the half-metallic ferrimagnet MnVAl probed by soft X-ray spectroscopies

Nagai, Kodai*; Fujiwara, Hidenori*; Aratani, Hidekazu*; Fujioka, Shuhei*; Yomosa, Hiroshi*; Nakatani, Yasuhiro*; Kiss, Takayuki*; Sekiyama, Akira*; Kuroda, Fumiaki*; Fujii, Hitoshi*; Oguchi, Tamio*; Tanaka, Arata*; Miyawaki, Jun*; Harada, Yoshihisa*; Takeda, Yukiharu   ; Saito, Yuji  ; Suga, Shigemasa*; Umetsu, Rie*

We have studied the electronic structure of ferrimagnetic MnVAl single crystals by means of soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray absorption magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), and resonant soft X-ray inelastic scattering (RIXS). We have successfully observed the XMCD signals for all the constituent elements. The Mn L XAS and XMCD spectra are reproduced by spectral simulations based on density-functional theory, indicating the itinerant character of the Mn 3 states. On the other hand, the V 3 electrons are rather localized since the ionic model can qualitatively explain the V L XAS and XMCD spectra. This picture is consistent with local excitations revealed by the V L RIXS.