(Co, Zn)O compound obtained from ZnTe vapor deposition on Co/Si substrates

Abstract

(Co, Zn)O compound has been obtained by a non-expensive synthesis route. ZnTe thin films were obtained by isothermal close space sublimation on the Co thin layer previously sputtered on silicon substrates. After the annealing process in humid ambient cobalt atoms diffusion and Zn oxidation were obtained besides partial Te evaporation. The detailed characterization of the samples by using XRD, RBS, AFM, XPS, VSM and MFM techniques point to the formation of room temperature ferromagnetic CoxZn(1−x)O phase (x<0.15). This ferromagnetic behavior is mainly attributed to Co atoms substituting Zn atoms in the ZnO network.