Abstract
We report the magnetic and electrical properties in Mn-doped and undoped (Zn,Sn)As2 epilayers, that were annealed at slightly higher temperatures than the growth temperature. (Zn,Sn)As2 :Mn were epitaxially grown on InP (001) substrates at 300°C, and showed room-temperature ferromagnetism. The hole concentration, saturation magnetization and Curie temperature were measured and evaluated as a function of annealing temperature. The Curie temperature had a tendency to slightly increase at annealing temperatures up to 340°C, and completely disappeared at 400°C. The ferromagnetism could be attributed to hole-mediated ferromagnetism resulting from Mn ion substitutions at both the II-group Zn and IV-group Sn sites, especially from the large solubility of Mn2+ substitution at Zn sites. The disappearance of ferromagnetism may be explained by several types of mechanisms : migration of mobile interstitial Mn atoms, diffusion of substitutional Mn ions to the surface, substitution of interstitial Mn atoms on Zn vacancies, and formation of MnAs clusters. It is noteworthy that the growth of magnetic semiconductor thin films from substrate lattice matching is essential for avoiding magnetic secondary phases such as MnAs clusters.
Highlights
III-V based diluted magnetic semiconductors (Ga,Mn)As have been extensively studied from both experimental and theoretical viewpoints in attempts to achieve a higher Curie temperature [1,2,3]
Post-growth annealing in temperatures only slightly exceeding a growth temperature of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has been performed as an effective means of enhancing the Curie temperature of (Ga,Mn)As by removing Mn interstitial atoms, since Mn interstitials incorporated during low-temperature MBE growth act as double donors that compensate for holes introduced by substitutional MnGa [4,5]
Magnetic properties of several kinds of chalcopyrites including ZnSnAs2:Mn were theoretically investigated by Kent and Schulthess, who found that ZnSnAs2:Mn has a preference for anti-ferromagnetic interaction with MnII - MnII pairs and for ferromagnetic interaction with MnII - MnIV and MnIV - MnIV site pairs
Summary
III-V based diluted magnetic semiconductors (Ga,Mn)As have been extensively studied from both experimental and theoretical viewpoints in attempts to achieve a higher Curie temperature [1,2,3]. ZnSnAs2:Mn thin films have been epitaxially grown on InP (001) without any secondary phases, and showed room-temperature ferromagnetism [9,10].
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