  The electronic and magnetic properties of the mother material LaOFeAs of new
superconductors have been carefully studied using first-principles electronic
structure calculations based on the generalized gradient approximation in the
density functional theory. The present calculation predicts that the ground
state of LaOFeAs is antiferromagnetic with a stripe type magnetic moment
alignment leading to orthorhombic symmetry of the crystal. In this particular
magnetic state, the density of states at the Fermi level is very small. On the
other hand, LaOFeP has turned out to be paramagnetic and a good metal.
Implications of the results regarding the experimental observations will also
be presented.
