Density Functional Theory Calculations of Structural, Electronic, and Magnetic Properties of the 3d Metal Trifluorides MF3 (M = Ti-Ni) in the Solid State

We employ density functional theory with Hubbard U correction or hybrid functionals to study the series of magnetic 3d metal trifluorides MF3 (M = Ti-Ni). Experimental lattice parameters are reproduced with an error margin of 0.5%-4.3%. Cooperative Jahn-Teller distortions are reproduced for MnF3, but also found in TiF3 and CoF3 at smaller levels compared to MnF3. Trends in electronic structure with respect to positions of the d bands are linked to the magnetic properties where M = Ti-Cr are weak magnetic Mott-Hubbard insulators, M = Fe-Ni are strong magnetic charge-transfer insulators and MnF3 falls in between. Our work contributes to the characterization of the relatively unknown NiF3, since FeF3 and CoF3 have similar electronic and magnetic properties. However, NiF3 does not show a Jahn-Teller distortion as present in CoF3. (C) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.