Ferromagnetic properties of Fe-substituted ZnO-based magnetic semiconductor

The diluted magnetic semiconductor Zn_1−x⁵⁷Fe_xO (x=0.01, 0.02, 0.03) compounds were prepared by the solid-state reaction method. The crystal structure of _Zn0.97⁵⁷_Fe0.03O${\mathrm{Zn}}_{0.97}{}^{57}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{0.03}\mathrm{O}$ at room temperature is determined to be a hexagonal structure of P6₃mc with lattice constants a₀=3.252 Å and c₀=5.205 Å by Rietveld refinement. The Bragg factors R_B and R_F were determined as 3.23% and 2.81%. From the inverse susceptibility versus T curve, the paramagnetic Curie temperature is found to be 2.7 K and effective moment is found to be 4.01 μ_B, thereby suggesting that the exchange interactions between Fe ions are ferromagnetic. Mössbauer spectra of _Zn0.97⁵⁷_Fe0.03O${\mathrm{Zn}}_{0.97}{}^{57}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{0.03}\mathrm{O}$ have been taken at various temperatures ranging from 4.2 to 295 K. Mössbauer spectrum for _Zn0.97⁵⁷_Fe0.03O${\mathrm{Zn}}_{0.97}{}^{57}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{0.03}\mathrm{O}$ at 4.2 K has shown ferromagnetic phase (sextet), and the spectra were fitted based on a random distribution model of Fe ions.