Characteristics of MnxSi1-xTe Compound Studied by Electron Magnetic Resonance and Other Experiments

Abstract

The magnetic and other physical characteristics of <TEX>$Mn_xSi_{1-x}Te$</TEX> have been investigated by electron magnetic resonance (EMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and other experiments. <TEX>$Mn_xSi_{1-x}Te$</TEX> is found to have corundum structure for manganese contents up to 10% and also to be ferromagnetic for temperatures below 80 K. While ferromagnetic resonance signal coexists with the usual paramagnetic resonance signal, invariance of the g-factor inferred from the electron paramagnetic resonance signals throughout all temperature ranges clearly confirms that the manganese ions are in the electronic 3d5 state. The temperature dependence of EMR line-width is the same as other diluted magnetic semiconductors. From the EMR signals relaxation times <TEX>$T_2$</TEX> and <TEX>$T_1$</TEX> of <TEX>$Mn_xSi_{1-x}Te$</TEX> compounds are estimated to be about <TEX>$4.4{\times}10^{-10}s$</TEX> and <TEX>$9.3{\times}10^{-8}s$</TEX> respectively and are found to vary slightly with temperature or composition change. Exchange narrowing of the EMR line-width becomes dominant for the sample in which the substitution ratio, x = 30%. For one sample, in which x = 0.5%, spin glass-like behavior is indicated by EMR signals for temperatures lower than 60 K. This behavior may authentic for samples within a certain range of x.