Abstract
Room temperature ferromagnetism is observed in 200 keV Ni (∼3%) implanted ZnO films deposited on Si (100) substrate by vapour phase transport process. Crystalline phases of ZnO and ZnO:Ni films are determined by grazing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) technique. Using X-ray Fluroscence (XRF) technique the presence of Ni in ZnO matrix is detected. Magnetic measurement by alternating gradient magnetometer (AGM) shows a clear hysterisis loop at room temperature with a saturation magnetization of 0.025 emu/cm3, remnant magnetization of 0.0030 emu/cm3 and coercive field of 53.14 Oe. Surface morphological study by atomic force microscope (AFM) of the films shows ∼73% enhancement of grain size and increase in surface areal density of grains. This is associated with almost 10 times reduction in resistivity value of the Ni implanted ZnO films as compared to its unimplanted counterpart as revealed by four probe resistivity technique. The result is understood on the basis of an exchange interaction of the charge carriers generated due to thermal effects of ion implantation and the localized spins of Ni.
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