First-principles study on the magnetism in ZnS-based diluted magnetic semiconductors

The electronic and magnetic properties of wurtzite ZnS semiconductor doped with transition metal (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) atoms are studied by using the first-principle’s method in this paper. The ZnS bulk materials doped with Cr, Fe, and Ni are determined to be half-metallic, while those doped with Mn and Co impurities are found to be semiconducting. These doped transition metal ions have long range interactions mediated through the induced magnetic moments in anions and cations of host semiconductors. These doped ZnS-based diluted magnetic semiconductors seem to be good candidates for the future spintronic applications.