Magnetic phase transition in strained MnAs compound

The MnAs compound is presently of increasing interest for spintronic applications. By means of accurate first-principles pseudopotential calculations, we investigate its structural, electronic and magnetic properties under different strain/stress conditions, starting from its stable bulk free standingphase which has the hexagonal structure of NiAs. The other structures considered here simulate the pseudomorphic growth on substrates with different orientation and lattice mismatch. fects of stress on the magnetic properties are linear over a limited range, which is typically accessible to measurements, but sizeable and strongly nonlinear for higher stress, suggesting a magnetic phase transition.