  An accurate density-functional method is used to study systematically
half-metallic ferromagnetism and stability of zincblende phases of
3d-transition-metal chalcogenides. The zincblende CrTe, CrSe, and VTe phases
are found to be excellent half-metallic ferromagnets with large half-metallic
gaps (up to 0.88 eV). They are mechanically stable and approximately 0.31-0.53
eV per formula unit higher in total energy than the corresponding
nickel-arsenide ground-state phases, and therefore would be grown epitaxially
in the form of films and layers thick enough for spintronic applications.
