Prediction of room-temperature half-metallicity in layered halide double perovskites

Half-metallic ferromagnets (HMFs) that possess intriguing physical properties with completely spin-polarized current are key candidates for high-efficiency spintronic devices. However, HMFs that could simultaneously have high Curie temperature (Tc), wide half-metallic gap (ΔHM), and large bulk magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE) are very rare, which significantly restrict their room-temperature (RT) applications. In this article, through materials screening in layered halide double perovskites (LHDPs), we have theoretically identified that Cs4FePb2Cl12, which has good crystallographic, dynamic and thermal stabilities, possesses an intrinsic half-metallic ground-state with a high Tc ~ 450 K. Interestingly, the long-range ferromagnetic ordering in bulk Cs4FePb2Cl12 is contributed by the strong super-superexchange interactions between the neighboring Fe d orbitals mediated by different anionic Cl p orbitals. The high Tc of layered Cs4FePb2Cl12 can be well maintained even in the monolayer limitation, i.e., Tc ~ 370 K for Cs4FePb2Cl12 monolayer, which is critical for nanoscale device applications. Moreover, both bulk and monolayer Cs4FePb2Cl12 can exhibit wide ΔHM ~ 0.55 eV and large MAE >320 μeV/Fe, comparable to that of the best HMFs reported in the literature. Our findings can significantly extend the potentials of LHDPs for high-temperature spintronic applications.