Coherently photoinduced ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors

Ferromagnetism is predicted in undoped diluted magnetic semiconductors illuminated by intense sub-band-gap laser radiation. The mechanism for photoinduced ferromagnetism is coherence between conduction and valence bands induced by the light which leads to an optical exchange interaction. The ferromagnetic critical temperature T(C) depends both on the properties of the material and on the frequency and intensity of the laser and could be above 1K.     

Effects of disorder on ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors

We present results of a numerical mean-field treatment of interacting spins and carriers in doped diluted magnetic semiconductors, which takes into account the positional disorder present in these alloy systems. Within our mean-field approximation, disorder enhances the ferromagnetic transition temperature for metallic densities not too far from the metal-insulator transition. Concurrently, the ferromagnetic phase is found to have very unusual temperature dependence of the magnetization as well as specific heat as a result of disorder. Unusual spin and charge transport is implied.     

ZnCoO稀磁半导体的室温磁性

采用固相反应法，将ZnO和Co₂O₃粉末按不同的成分配比混合，制备了稀磁半导体Zn_1-xCo_xO (x=0.02,0.06,0.10)材料.并使用H₂气氛退火技术对样品进行了处理，得到了具有室温铁磁性的掺Co氧化锌稀磁半导体.利用全自动X射线衍射仪、X射线光电子能谱仪、高分辨透射电子显微镜和超导量子干涉器件磁强计对样品的结构、晶粒的尺寸、微观形貌以及磁性等进行了测量和标度. 关键词： 稀磁半导体 氧化锌 掺杂 固相反应法     

Unraveling the nature of carrier-mediated ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors

After more than a decade of intensive research in the field of diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS), the nature and origin of ferromagnetism, especially in III–V compounds, is still controversial. Many questions and open issues are under intensive debates. Why after so many years of investigations, Mn-doped GaAs remains the candidate with the highest Curie temperature among the broad family of III–V materials doped with transition metal (TM) impurities? How can one understand that these temperatures are almost two orders of magnitude larger than that of hole-doped (Zn,Mn)Te or (Cd,Mn)Se? Is there any intrinsic limitation or is there any hope to reach room-temperature ferromagnetism in the dilute regime? How can one explain the proximity of (Ga,Mn)As to the metal–insulator transition and the change from Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) couplings in II–VI compounds to double-exchange type in (Ga,Mn)N? In spite of the great success of density functional theory-based studies to provide accurately the critical temperatures in various compounds, till very lately a theory that provides a coherent picture and understanding of the underlying physics was still missing. Recently, within a minimal model, it has been possible to show that among the physical parameters, the key one is the position of the TM acceptor level. By tuning the value of that parameter, one is able to explain quantitatively both magnetic and transport properties in a broad family of DMS. We will see that this minimal model explains in particular the RKKY nature of the exchange in (Zn,Mn)Te/(Cd,Mn)Te and the double exchange type in (Ga,Mn)N and simultaneously the reason why (Ga,Mn)As exhibits the highest critical temperature among both II–VI and III–V DMS's.     

Nuclear spin manipulation in interfaces of diluted magnetic semiconductors

Nuclear spin manipulation using an interface of diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) is proposed. On the basis of the first-principles electronic structure calculation, we show that the hyperfine fields at an impurity site in the interface between a DMS and a base substance is dramatically changed by an external electric field. The electric field dependence of the hyperfine fields at the impurity nucleus in the interface of (InMn)As and (GaMn)As is examined.     

Origin of ferromagnetism and nano-scale phase separations in diluted magnetic semiconductors

This paper reviews various origins of ferromagnetic response that has been detected in diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS). Particular attention is paid to those ferromagnetic DMS in which no precipitation of other crystallographic phases has been observed. It is argued that these materials can be divided into three categories. The first consists of (Ga,Mn)As and related compounds. In these solid solutions the theory built on p–d Zener's model of hole-mediated ferromagnetism and the Kohn–Luttinger kp theory of semiconductors describes quantitatively thermodynamic, micromagnetic, optical, and transport properties. Moreover, the understanding of these materials has provided a basis for the development of novel methods enabling magnetisation manipulation and switching. To the second group belong compounds, in which a competition between long-range ferromagnetic and short-range antiferromagnetic interactions and/or the proximity of the localisation boundary lead to an electronic nano-scale phase separation that results in characteristics similar to colossal magnetoresistance oxides. Finally, in a number of compounds a chemical nano-scale phase separation into the regions with small and large concentrations of the magnetic constituent is present. It has recently been suggested that this spinodal decomposition can be controlled by the charge state of relevant magnetic impurities. This constitutes a new perspective method for 3D self-organised growth of coherent magnetic nanocrystals embedded by the semiconductor matrix.     

Magnetic properties of Mn-doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductors

A series of Mn-doped ZnO films have been prepared in different sputtering plasmas by using the inductively coupled plasma enhanced physical vapour deposition. The films show paramagnetic behaviour when they are deposited in an argon plasma. The Hall measurement indicates that ferromagnetism cannot be realized by increasing the electron concentration. However, the room-temperature ferromagnetism is obtained when the films are deposited in a mixed argon-nitrogen plasma. The first-principles calculations reveal that antiferromagnetic ordering is favoured in the case of the substitution of Mn^2＋ for Zn^2＋ without additional acceptor doping. The substitution of N for O （NO^-） is necessary to induce ferromagnetic couplings in the Zn-Mn-O system. The hybridization between N 2p and Mn 3d provides an empty orbit around the Fermi level. The hopping of Mn 3d electrons through the empty orbit can induce the ferromagnetic coupling. The ferromagnetism in the N-doped Zn-Mn-O system possibly originates from the charge transfer between Mn^2＋ and Mn^3＋ via NO^-, The key factor is the empty orbit provided by substituting N for O, rather than the conductivity type or the carrier concentration.     

Carrier-mediated ferromagnetism in N co-doped (Zn, Mn)O-based diluted magnetic semiconductors

Mn-doped ZnO is anti-ferromagnetic spin glass state, however, it becomes half-metallic ferromagnets upon hole doping. In this Letter we report a theoretical study of (Zn, Mn)O system codoped with N, and show that this codoping can change the ground state from anti-ferromagnetic to ferromagnetic. We have carried out the first-principles electronic structure calculations and report total energy to estimate whether the ferromagnetic state was stable or not. Our approach is based on the spin-polarized relativistic Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker (SPR–KKR) density functional theoretical (DFT) method, within the coherent potential approximation (CPA). Self-consistent electronic structure calculations were performed within the local density approximation, using the Vosko–Wilk–Nusair parameterization of the exchange-correlation energy functional. Our results for energy difference between ferromagnetic sate and spin glass state as well as their dependence on concentrations were presented and discussed.     

Disordered RKKY lattice mean field theory for ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors

We develop a lattice mean field theory for ferromagnetic ordering in diluted magnetic semiconductors by taking into account the spatial fluctuations associated with random disorder in the magnetic impurity locations and the finite mean free path associated with low carrier mobilities. Assuming a carrier-mediated indirect RKKY exchange interaction among the magnetic impurities, we find substantial deviation from the extensively used continuum Zener model Weiss mean field predictions. Our theory allows accurate analytic predictions for Tc and provides simple explanations for a number of observed anomalies, including the non-Brillouin function magnetization curves, the suppressed low-temperature magnetization saturation, and the dependence of Tc on conductivity.     

A perspective of recent progress in ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductors

ZnO has long been considered as a promising candidate material for diluted magnetic semiconductors, owing to its theoretically predicted and experimentally observed above-room-temperature ferromagnetism and long spin-coherence time. In this brief perspective, recent progress in ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductors is reviewed with particular focus on three topics: (1) spin coherence in ZnO; (2) free-carrier type and concentration-dependent magnetic properties in ZnO; and (3) ferromagnetism in undoped and non-transition-metal-doped ZnO. Finally, current status and possible potential direction of research on ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductors are summarized in the concluding remarks.     

Mn掺杂ZnO稀磁半导体材料的制备和磁性研究

采用共沉淀方法制备了名义组分为Zn_1-xMn_xO(x=0.001,0.005,0.007,0.01)的Mn掺杂的ZnO基稀磁半导体材料,并研究了在大气气氛下经过不同温度退火后样品的结构和磁性的变化.结果表明：样品在600℃的大气条件下退火后, 仍为单一的六方纤锌矿结构的ZnO颗粒材料;当样品经过800℃退火后,Mn掺杂量为0.007,0.01的样品中除了ZnO纤锌矿结构外还观察到ZnMnO₃第二相的存在.磁性测量表明,大气条件下600℃退火后的样品,呈现出室温铁磁性;而800℃退火后的样品,其室温铁磁性显著减弱,并表现为明显的顺磁性.结合对样品的光致发光谱的分析,认为合成样品的室温铁磁性是由于Mn离子对ZnO中的Zn离子的替代形成的. 关键词： ZnO 掺杂 稀磁半导体 铁磁性     

A Green＇s function model for ferromagnetism and spin excitations of （Ga,Mn）As diluted magnetic semiconductors

We study (Ga, Mn)As diluted magnetic semiconductors in terms of the Ruderman--Kittel--Kasuya--Yosida quantum spin model in Green's function approach. Random distributions of the magnetic atoms are treated by using an analytical average of magnetic configurations. Average magnetic moments and spin excitation spectra as functions of temperature can be obtained by solving self-consistent equations, and the Curie temperature T_C is given explicitly. T_C is proportional to magnetic atomic concentration, and there exists a maximum for T_C as a function of carrier concentration. Applied to (Ga, Mn)As, the theoretical results are consistent with experiment and the experimental T_C can be obtained with reasonable parameters. This modelling can also be applied to other diluted magnetic semiconductors.     

Electronic structure of C co-doped (Ga,Fe)N-based diluted magnetic semiconductors

We report results of the study on GaN doped with Fe and co-doped with Carbon (C), for acceptors defect, making use of the spin-polarized relativistic Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker coherent-potential approximation method. In order to understand and to explain the half-metallicity and ferromagnetism stability, observed in Ga_0.95Fe_0.05N with acceptor defects, we calculated the electronic structure and magnetic properties of p-type Ga_0.95Fe_0.05N. Furthermore, comparison between the electronic structure of the substitutional and interstitial carbon in (Ga, Fe)N is also given. Mechanism of exchange interaction between magnetic ions in Ga_0.95Fe_0.05N with acceptor defect is investigated. The hyperfine interaction has been calculated for the disordered alloy systems Ga_0.95Fe_0.05N_1-xC_x (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.08).     

Photomaganetization in diluted magnetic semiconductors

Starting from a many–body Hamiltonian for a system of photogenerated electrons and holes, spin-split by magnetic ions in diluted magnetic semiconductors, we derive, presumably for the first time, an expression for the photomagnetization as a function of the photon power, frequency, excitonic interaction and the magnetic ion concentration. Damping of nonequilibrium carriers and spin excitons is considered phenomenologically. Our results agree qualitatively with some of the systematics of the photomagnetization observed in Hg _1?x Mn _x Te.     

Theory of diluted magnetic semiconductor ferromagnetism

We present a theory of carrier-induced ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors ( III1-xMnxV) which allows for arbitrary itinerant-carrier spin polarization and dynamic correlations. Both ingredients are essential in identifying the system's elementary excitations and describing their properties. We find a branch of collective modes, in addition to the spin waves and Stoner continuum which occur in metallic ferromagnets, and predict that the low-temperature spin stiffness is independent of the strength of the exchange coupling between magnetic ions and itinerant carriers. We discuss the temperature dependence of the magnetization and the heat capacity.     

The electronic and magnetic properties of （Mn,C）-codoped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductor

The electronic and magnetic properties of (Mn,C)-codoped ZnO are studied in the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof form of generalized gradient approximation of the density functional theory. By investigating five geometrical configurations, we find that Mn doped ZnO exhibits anti-ferromagnetic or spin-glass behaviour, and there are no carriers to mediate the long range ferromagnetic (FM) interaction without acceptor co-doping. We observe that the FM interaction for (Mn,C)-codoped ZnO is due to the hybridization between C 2p and Mn 3d states, which is strong enough to lead to hole-mediated ferromagnetism at room temperature. Meanwhile, we demonstrate that ZnO co-doped with Mn and C has a stable FM ground state and show that the (Mn,C)-codoped ZnO is FM semiconductor with super-high Curie temperature (T C = 5475 K). These results are conducive to the design of dilute magnetic semiconductors with codopants for spintronics applications.     

Electron states in diluted magnetic semiconductors

One of the remarkable properties of the II–VI diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) quantum dot (QD) is the giant Zeeman splitting of the carrier states under application of a magnetic field. This splitting reveals strong exchange interaction between the magnetic ion moment and electronic spins in the QD. A theoretical study of the electron spectrum and of its relaxation to the ground state via the emission of a longitudinal optical (LO) phonon, in a CdSe/ZnMnSe self-assembled quantum dot, is proposed in this work. Numerical calculations showed that the strength of this interaction increases as a function of the magnetic field to become more than 30 meV and allows some level crossings. We have also shown that the electron is more localized in this DMS QD and its relaxation to the ground state via the emission of one LO phonon is allowed.