Dilute magnetic semiconductor nanowires

Abstract

Semiconductor materials form the basis of modern electronics, communication, data storage and computing technologies. One of today’s challenges for the development of future technologies is the realization of devices that control not only the electron charge, as in present electronics, but also its spin, setting the basis for future spintronics. Spintronics represents the concept of the synergetic and multifunctional use of charge and spin dynamics of electrons, aiming to go beyond the traditional dichotomy of semiconductor electronics and magnetic storage technology. The most direct method to induce spin-polarized electrons into a semiconductor is by introducing appropriate transition-metal or rare-earth dopants producing a dilute magnetic semiconductor (DMS). At the same time the seamless integration of future spintronic devices into nanodevices would require the fabrication of one-dimensional DMS nanostructures in well-defined architectures. In this review we focus on recent advances in the synthesis of DMS nanowires as well discussing the structural, optical and magnetic properties of these materials.