Magnetic III-N Semiconductors Based on Rare Earth Doping

Abstract

This paper focuses on the magnetic properties of wide bandgap III-N semiconductors doped with rare earth elements. Such materials form a novel class of dilute magnetic semiconductors that have an important potential impact on future information processing devices [1]. In particular, rare earth doped III-N thin films may lead to integration of electronic, optical, and magnetic functionality for sensing and communication applications. The two main thrusts of this paper are the efficient incorporation of rare earth ions in III-N thin films and the demonstration of magnetic effects at room temperature. While early studies were based on ion implantation and solid-state diffusion, major advances have been achieved through molecular beam epitaxy and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. [2, 3]. Measurements of room temperature magnetic effects from III-N films doped with rare earth elements, including neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and thullium, will be presented. The dependence of the magnetic properties on the synthesis method and co-doping will be addressed. [1] Rare Earth and Transiton Metal Doping of Semiconductor Materials: Synthesis, Magnetic Properties and Room Temperature Spintronics, Ed. V. Dierolf, I.T. Ferguson and J.M. Zavada (Elsevier Woodhead Publishing, 2016). [2] “Er Doping of AlN During Growth by Metalorganic Molecular Beam Epitaxy,” J.D. MacKenzie, C.R. Abernathy, S.J. Pearton, U. Hömmerich, X. Wu, R.G. Wilson, J.M. Zavada, and R.N. Schwartz, Appl. Phys. Lett.692083 (1996). [3] “Erbium-doped GaN epilayers synthesized by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition,” C. Ugolini, N.Nepal, J. Y. Lin, H. X. Jiang, and J. M. Zavada, Appl. Phys. Lett. 89151903 (2006).