Strain effects in the electronic structure of CrN

Chromium nitride (CrN) has a promising future for its resistance to corrosion and hardness, and fascinating magnetic and electronic properties. CrN presents a phase transition in which the crystal structure, magnetic ordering, and electronic properties change at a (Neel) temperature ~280K. Thin films from different labs exhibit different conductance behavior at low temperature. We performed ab initio calculations using the LSDA+U method, and estimate the interaction between the Cr-3d and N-2p orbitals, by analyzing the band structure. We also calculate effective masses and investigate the effect of strain fields in the electronic structure to understand the electronic behavior near the phase transition.