Element resolved spin configuration in ferromagnetic manganese-doped gallium arsenide

We report induced Ga and As moments in ferromagnetic Ga(1-x)MnxAs detected using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Mn, Ga, and As L(3,2) edges. Across a broad composition range, we find As and Ga dichroism signals which indicate an As 4s moment coupled antiparallel to the Mn 3d moment, and a smaller parallel Ga 4s moment. The Ga moment follows that of Mn in both doping and temperature dependence. These results are consistent with recent predictions of induced GaAs host moments and support the model of carrier-mediated ferromagnetic ordering involving As-derived valence band states.     

Laser induced threshold photoemission magnetic circular dichroism and its application to photoelectron microscope

This work enlightens the threshold photoemission magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and its adaption on photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) using lasers. MCD is a simple and efficient way to investigate magnetic properties since it does not need any spin analyzers with low efficiency, and thus the MCD related techniques have developed to observe magnetic domains. Usually, MCD in a total yield measurement in the valence band with weak spin–orbit coupling (SOC) excited by low photon energy (hν≤ 6 eV) does not compete with the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) with strong SOC. XMCD PEEM observation of magnetic domains has been successfully established while MCD PEEM derived from valence bands has not been. However, using angle and energy resolved photoelectron, valence band MCD provides large asymmetry similar to that by XMCD. Threshold measurement of photoelectron in a total electron yield procedure can take advantage of the measurement of photoelectrons with a limited angle and energy mode. This restriction of the photoelectron makes the threshold MCD technique an efficient way to get magnetic information and gives more than 10% asymmetry for Ni/Cu(0 0 1), which is comparable to that obtained by angle resolved photoemission. Thus the threshold MCD technique is a suitable method to observe magnetic domains by PEEM. For threshold MCD, incident angle dependence and high sensitivity to out-of-plane magnetized films compared with in-plane ones are discussed. Ultrashort pulse lasers make it feasible to measure two photon photoemission MCD combined with PEEM, where resonant excitation has a possibility to enhance dichroic asymmetry. Recent results for valence band magnetic dichroism PEEM are presented.     

Ga sublattice defects in (Ga,Mn)As: thermodynamical and kinetic trends

We have used positron annihilation spectroscopy and infrared absorption measurements to study the Ga sublattice defects in epitaxial Ga(1-x)MnxAs with Mn content varying from 0% to 5%. We show that the Ga vacancy concentration decreases and As antisite concentration increases with increasing Mn content. This is in agreement with thermodynamical considerations for the electronic part of the formation energy of the Ga sublattice point defects. However, the absolute defect concentrations imply that they are determined rather by the growth kinetics than by the thermodynamical equilibrium. The As antisite concentrations in the samples are large enough to be important for compensation and magnetic properites. In addition, the Ga vacancies are likely to be involved in the diffusion and clustering of Mn at low annealing temperatures.     

Origin of the tunnel anisotropic magnetoresistance in Ga(1-x)Mn(x)As/ZnSe/Ga(1-x)Mn(x)As magnetic tunnel junctions of II-VI/III-V heterostructures

We investigated spin-dependent transport in magnetic tunnel junctions made of III-V Ga(1-x)Mn(x)As electrodes and II-VI ZnSe tunnel barriers. The high tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio up to 100% we observed indicates high spin polarization at the barrier/electrodes interfaces. We found anisotropic tunneling conductance having a magnitude of 10% with respect to the direction of magnetization to linearly depend on the magnetic anisotropy energy of Ga(1-x)Mn(x)As. This proves that the spin-orbit interactions in the valence band of Ga(1-x)M(x)As are responsible for the tunnel anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR) effect.     

Polarization of valence band holes in the (Ga,Mn)as diluted magnetic semiconductor

We report on direct measurements of the impurity band hole polarization in the diluted magnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As. The polarization of impurity band holes in a magnetic field is strongly enhanced by antiferromagnetic exchange interaction with Mn ions. The temperature dependence of the hole polarization shows a strong increase of this polarization below the Curie temperature. We show that the ground state of the impurity band is formed by uniaxial stress split F=+/-1 states of antiferromagnetically coupled Mn ions (S=5/2) and valence band holes (J=3/2). The gap between the Mn acceptor related impurity band and the valence band is directly measured in a wide range of Mn content.     

Microscopic analysis of the valence band and impurity band theories of (Ga,Mn)As

We analyze microscopically the valence and impurity band models of ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As. We find that the tight-binding Anderson approach with conventional parametrization and the full potential local-density approximation+U calculations give a very similar band structure whose microscopic spectral character is consistent with the physical premise of the k·p kinetic-exchange model. On the other hand, the various models with a band structure comprising an impurity band detached from the valence band assume mutually incompatible microscopic spectral character. By adapting the tight-binding Anderson calculations individually to each of the impurity band pictures in the single Mn impurity limit and then by exploring the entire doping range, we find that a detached impurity band does not persist in any of these models in ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As.     

Numerical simulation of the temperature dependence of the ionization energy of hydrogen-like impurities in semiconductors: Application to transmutation-doped Ge: Ga

An electrostatic model describing the dependence of the thermal ionization energy of impurities on their concentration, compensation factor, and temperature is developed. The model takes into account the screening of impurity ions by holes (electrons) hopping from impurity to impurity, the change in the impurity-band width, and its displacement with respect to the edge of the valence band for acceptors (conduction band for donors). The displacement of the impurity band is due to the functional dependence of the hole (electron) affinity of the ionized acceptor (donor) on the screening of the Coulomb field of the ions. The spatial distribution of the impurity ions over the crystal was assumed to be Poisson-like, and the energy distribution was assumed to be normal (Gaussian). For the relatively low doping levels under investigation, the behavior of the density of states at the edges of the valence and conduction bands was assumed to be the same as for the undoped crystal. The results of the numerical study are in agreement with the decrease in the ionization energy that is experimentally observed for moderately compensated Ge: Ga as the temperature and the doping level are decreased. It is predicted that the temperature dependence of the thermal ionization energy has a small anomalous maximum at small compensation factors.     

Ferromagnetism in Ga(1-x)Mn(x)P: evidence for inter-Mn exchange mediated by localized holes within a detached impurity band

We report an energy gap for hole photoexcitation in ferromagnetic Ga(1-x)Mn(x)P that is tunable by Mn concentration (x < or = 0.06) and by compensation with Te donors. For x approximately 0.06, electrical transport is dominated by excitation across this gap above the Curie temperature (TC) of 60 K and by thermally activated hopping below TC. Magnetization measurements reveal a moment of 3.9 +/- 0.4 muB per substitutional Mn while the large anomalous Hall signal demonstrates that the ferromagnetism is carrier mediated. In aggregate these data indicate that ferromagnetic exchange is mediated by holes localized in a Mn-derived band that is detached from the valence band.     

Observation of strong-coupling effects in a diluted magnetic semiconductor Ga1-xFexN

The giant Zeeman splitting of free excitons is measured in Ga(1-x)Fe(x)N. Magneto-optical and magnetization data imply the ferromagnetic sign and a reduced magnitude of the effective p-d exchange energy governing the interaction between Fe(3+) ions and holes in GaN, N_{0}beta(app)=+0.5+/-0.2 eV. This finding corroborates the recent suggestion that the strong p-d hybridization specific to nitrides and oxides leads to significant renormalization of the valence band exchange splitting.     

Terahertz electroluminescence under conditions of shallow acceptor breakdown in germanium

The spectrum of spontaneous terahertz electroluminescence was obtained near the breakdown threshold of a shallow acceptor (Ga) in germanium. The emission spectra were recorded by the Fourier spectroscopy method at a temperature of ～5.5–5.6 K. The emission spectrum exhibits narrow lines with maxima at ～1.99 THz (8.2 meV) and ～2.36 THz (9.7 meV), corresponding to the optical transitions of nonequilibrium holes from the excited impurity states to the ground state of impurity center. A broad line with a maximum at ～3.15 THz (13 meV) corresponding to the hole transitions from the valence band to the impurity ground state is also seen in the spectrum. The contribution of the hole transitions from the states of the valence band increases upon an increase in the electric-field strength. Simultaneously, the optical transitions of nonequilibrium holes between the subbands of the valence band appear in the emission spectrum. The integral terahertz-emission power is ～17 nW per 1 W of the input power.     

Electronic Structures of Wurtzite GaN with Ga and N Vacancies

The electronic band structures of wurtzite GaN with Ga and N vacancy defects are investigated by means of the first-principles total energy calculations in the neutral charge state. Our results show that the band structures can be significantly modified by the Ga and N vacancies in the GaN samples. Generally, the width of the valence band is reduced and the band gap is enlarged. The defect-induced bands can be introduced in the band gap of GMV due to the Ga and N vacancies. Moreover, the GaN with high density of N vacancies becomes an indirect gap semiconductor. Three defect bands due to Ga vacancy defects are created within the band gap and near the top of the valence band. In contrast, the N vacancies introduce four defect bands within the band gap. One is in the vicinity of the top of the valence band, and the others are near the bottom of the conduction band. The physical origin of the defect bands and modification of the band structures due to the Ga and N vacancies are analysed in depth.     

Photoluminescence study of Si doped and undoped Chalcopyrite CuGaSe2 thin films

Photoluminescence (PL) characteristics have been studied on undoped and Si-doped CuGaSe₂ single crystal thin films grown on GaAs (001) substrate by migration-enhanced epitaxy. Room temperature PL spectrum of an undoped layer clearly shows free excitonic emission bands related to the minimum band-edge and to the split-off valence band, but no discernible emission has been observed in the low energy area. At 4.2 K, the excitonic emission due to the split-off valence band disappears. Instead, two additional emissions appear at 1.68 and 1.715 eV which are attributed to the bound exciton and band-to-acceptor transition. The Si doping to CuGaSe₂ produces two additional PL bands around 1.61 and 1.64 eV. These PL bands are attributed to the donor acceptor pair emissions due to the doped Si impurity which probably occupies Cu or Ga sites and intrinsic Cu vacancy.     

Ferromagnetism in magnetically doped III-V semiconductors.

The origin of ferromagnetism in semimagnetic III-V materials is discussed. The indirect exchange interaction caused by virtual electron excitations from magnetic impurity acceptor levels to the valence band can explain ferromagnetism in GaAs(Mn) in both degenerate and nondegenerate samples. Formation of ferromagnetic clusters and the percolation picture of phase transition describes well all available experimental data and allows us to predict the Mn-composition dependence of transition temperature in wurtzite (Ga,In,Al)N epitaxial layers.     

Mn distribution and spin polarization in Ga(1-x)Mn x As

Using the density functional full-potential linearized augmented plane wave approach, the x-ray absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra of Ga(1-x)Mn x As are calculated. Significantly, XMCD of Mn is highly sensitive to the change in environment, and thus can be utilized to characterize impurity distribution. The nature of Mn-induced spin polarization on Ga and As sites, vital for the carrier mediated magnetic ordering, is discussed in light of computational and experimental results.     

Initial interface study of Au deposition on GaN(0 0 0 1)

Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SRPES) has been used to study the electronic structure of the Au/GaN(0 0 0 1) system at the initial growth stage. The peak fitting of Au4f_7/2 core-level and the energy shift of valence band indicate that Au–Ga alloy were formed in the interface reaction. According to the Ga3d signal intensity attenuation vs. the gold film thickness, the early growth mode is considered to be 3D mode above the reaction layer. By using the Linear Augmented Plane Wave method the density of states (DOS) for GaN and Au bulk are calculated within the framework of local functional theory. The theoretical results agree with the valence band structure quite well. The mechanism of interface reaction is discussed based on the experimental and theoretical results.     

Band gap and electronic structure of an epitaxial, semiconducting Cr0.80Al0.20 thin film

Cr(1-x)Al(x) exhibits semiconducting behavior for x = 0.15-0.26. This Letter uses hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and density functional theory to further understand the semiconducting behavior. Photoemission measurements of an epitaxial Cr(0.80)Al(0.20) thin film show several features in the valence band region, including a gap at the Fermi energy (E(F)) for which the valence band edge is 95 ± 14 meV below E(F). Theory agrees well with the valence band measurements, and shows an incomplete gap at E(F) due to the hole band at M shifting almost below E(F).     

Transition from strong to weak localization in the split-off impurity band in two-dimensional <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-GaAs/AlGaAs structures

A crossover from strongly localized behavior to weak localization (SL-WL) was observed in two-dimensional modulation-doped GaAs/Al_0.3Ga_0.7 As structures as the impurity concentration increased. In this case, it was observed that the low-temperature dependence of the conductivity changed its character (from exponential to logarithmic) and the magnetoresistance changed its sign (from linear negative to root positive). For 2D structures, it is shown that this transition proceeds in the impurity band separated from the valence band by the mobility gap, whereas the effective mass in the impurity band is larger than in the valence band.     

A study by XPS and XRS of the participation in chemical bonding of the 3d electrons of copper,zinc and gallium

The participation of 3d electrons in chemical bonds and their part in the formation of valence bands was studied by X-ray photoelectron- and X-ray-spectroscopy for Cu, Zn and Ga phosphides, sulphides and oxides. Incomplete screening of (n + 1)s,p electrons through the nd shell leads to non-systematic changes of orbital energies and radii of the valence electrons in the first, second and third Group elements. It is reflected in the electronic structure of the respective compounds. A qualitative interpretation of XPS and XRS data for Cu, Zn, Ga phosphides is given. Possible reasons for phosphorus s band splitting for zinc and copper phosphides are considered. The interaction of 3d metal states and 3s, p third Period element states considerably affects the valence band of compounds, and this interaction should be taken into account when considering electronic structures of Cu, Zn and Ga compounds.