The importance of the on-site electron-electron interaction for the magnetic coupling in the zigzag spin-chain compound In2VO5

We present first-principles electronic structure calculations for the zigzag spin-chain compound In2VO5 using the generalized gradient approximation both with and without inclusion of an on-site Coulomb interaction. It has been proposed that In2VO5 is characterized by itinerant V 3d electrons at high temperature and localized electrons at low temperature. Consequently, it is to be expected that electronic correlations play an important role for the magnetic transition from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic exchange around 120 K. In this context, we study the electronic and magnetic properties of a set of possible spin configurations. Our calculations show that inclusion of an on-site Coulomb interaction in fact changes the ground state from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.