Band Structure and Theory of Magnetic Interactions in Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors

Abstract

These lecture notes attempt to summarize the current state of understanding of the electronic structure and magnetic interactions in diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) as derived within an “effective” one-electron framework. The major portion of these notes focuses on the prototypical case of A II1-x MnxBVI DMS in which the magnetic element Mn is substituted for the group II element in a tetrahedral II–VI semiconductor. Several brief reviews of the microscopic theory of these materials have already been published.1–4 The present survey is intended to be more pedagogical and comprehensive. Emphasis is placed on the development of a consistent picture based on first-principles spin-polarized band calculations, semi-empirical tight-binding calculations and experiment. Unresolved issues related to A II1-x MnxBVI DMS are also addressed. The notes conclude with a few comments on other DMS materials for which additional theoretical and experimental challenges remain.KeywordsDilute Magnetic SemiconductorExchange ConstantValence Band MaximumConduction Band MinimumValence Band EdgeThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.