Ferromagnetism of low-dimensional Mn-doped III-V semiconductor structures in the vicinity of the insulator-metal transition

Abstract

The structural and transport properties of GaAs/Mn/GaAs/InxGa1−xAs/GaAs quantum wells (x≈0.2) with Mn δ-layer (4–10 at. %), separated from the well by a GaAs spacer, have been studied. The hole mobility in the investigated structures has exceeded the values known for magnetic III-V heterostructures by two orders of magnitude. For structures with the conductivity of the metal type, we have succeeded to observe at low temperatures Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations just confirming the two dimensionality (2D) of the hole energy spectrum. Exactly those 2D holes promote the ferromagnetic ordering of the Mn layer. That has been proven by (i) observing maxima (at 25–40 K) in temperature dependencies of the resistance, which positions agree with calculated values of Curie temperatures (for structures with the indirect interaction of Mn atoms via 2D holes), and (ii) revealing the negative spin-dependent magnetoresistance (NMR) as well as the anomalous Hall effect (AHE), which values are also in good agreement with calculations relating to ferromagnetic 2D III-V systems. As for the structures with the insulator type of the conductivity, their NMR and AHE features evidence the phase separation—the sample fragmentation with the formation of mesoscopic ferromagnetic areas separated by paramagnetic strata of the high tunnel conductivity.