The magnetic and hyperfine properties of iron in silicon carbide

The magnetic and hyperfine properties of iron impurities in 3C- and 6H- silicon-carbide are calculated using the abinitio method of full-potential linear-augmented-plane-waves. The iron atoms are introduced at substitutional carbon, Fe_C, and silicon, Fe_Si, sites as well as at the tetrahedral interstitial sites with four nearest neighbours carbon atoms, Fe_I(C), and four nearest neighbours silicon atoms, Fe_I(Si). The effect of introducing vacancies at the neighbours of these sites is also studied. Fe atoms with complete neighbors substituted at Si or C sites are found to be nonmagnetic, while Fe atoms at interstitial sites are magnetic. Introduction of a vacancy at a neighboring site reverse the picture.