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Indexed by:期刊论文

Date of Publication:2009-07-20

Journal:APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS

Included Journals:SCIE、EI、Scopus

Volume:95

Issue:3

ISSN No.:0003-6951

Key Words:diamagnetic materials; ferromagnetic materials; ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transitions; II-VI semiconductors; magnetic semiconductors; magnetic thin films; manganese; paramagnetic materials; semiconductor doping; semiconductor thin films; spontaneous magnetisation; sputter deposition; zinc compounds

Abstract:We report a systematic study of the film thickness dependence (0.1-1 mu m) of room-temperature ferromagnetism in pure magnetron-sputtered ZnO thin films wherein a sequential transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism and diamagnetism as a function of film thickness is observed. The highest saturation magnetization (M(S)) value observed is 0.62 emu/g (0.018 mu(B)/unit cell) for a similar to 480 nm film. On doping the ZnO film with 1 at. % Mn enhances the M(S) value by 26%. The ferromagnetic order in ZnO matrix is believed to be defect induced. In addition, on doping with Mn hybridization between the 2p states of O and the 3d states of Mn occurs.