Microscopic model, spin wave theory, and competing orders in double perovskites

George Jackeli

Institute for Theoretical Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

We present a microscopic theory of carrier-induced ferrimagnetism in metallic double perovskite compounds such as Sr2 FeMoO6 and Sr2 FeReO6 which have recently attracted intense interest for their possible applications to magnetotransport devices. The theory is based on an effective "Kondo-like" Hamiltonian treated here within the large-S expansion. We find that depending on the value of the carrier density the ground state is either a ferrimagnet or a layered antiferromagnet. The ferrimagnetic state has a robust half-metallic electronic structure. The transition to antiferromagnetic phase is first order accompanied with the regime of phase separation. We study spin wave spectrum including quantum corrections and find strongly enhanced quantum effects in the vicinity of zero-temperature phase transition.