First-principles study on stability and magnetism of MAln (n = 2-12; M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) clusters

The cohesive energy (CE) of MAln clusters (CE, the binding energy divided by (n + 1)) is shown. The CE(n) curves for M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co (sharp decrease from n = 3 to n = 6 followed by a relatively flat section for n > 6) are completely different from the CE(n) curves for M = Ni, Cu, Zn and Al (gradual increase with n).