Structural and magnetic properties of cobalt-doped ZnO thin films on sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrate deposited by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Co-doped ZnO thin films on sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrates were deposited by PLD at various substrate temperatures in a one Pa oxygen ambient condition. The structural and magnetic properties of as-grown thin films were characterized by using XRD, UV–Visible absorption spectrophotometer, XPS and AGM. All samples possessed wurtzite hexagonal structure of ZnO. Co atoms incorporated into ZnO matrix and substituted for Zn in ZnO lattice, and Zn interstitials existed in as-grown thin films. The c-axis lattice constants of as-deposited thin films were larger than the standard data. Crystallization of as-prepared thin films increased and then decreased with substrate temperatures enhancing. All samples exhibited room-temperature ferromagnetism. The average moment per Co atom was much smaller than that of Co2+ (3d7), due to the different distribution of Co2+ ions and defects, as well as the different defect concentrations in thin films.