Strain-controllable ferromagnetism in Mn-doped AlP semiconductor with constant visible light absorption

Abstract

Semiconductors encompassing a broad range of novel electronic, magnetic, and optical properties have attracted substantial research interest over the past decade, promising the development of next-generation multifunctional devices. Recently, we have observed strong visible optical absorption in AlP after Mn doping. Here, the magnetic interaction and optical absorption in Al1-xMnxP (x = 12.5%) were studied at wide biaxial strain by means of first-principles calculations together with the classical Heisenberg model. Our results unveil that Mn-doped AlP energetically favors a ferromagnetic state with short-range exchange coupling interaction. Intriguingly, the Curie-temperature can be continuous enhanced even above 220 K by in-plane biaxial strain, while the strong optical absorption in the visible range as well as its intensity are almost unperturbed. The results presented provide a new strategy for constructing multifunctional diluted magnetic semiconductor materials, and render Mn-doped AlP great candidate for spintronic devices that working under visible spectrum.