Abstract
The crystal structures, magnetic and optical properties of the 3d transition metals of Co or Mn doped CuInTe2 have been investigated using X-ray diffraction, magnetic measurements, ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometers. It is found that CuIn1-xTxTe2 (T=Co, Mn) crystallize in tetragonal chalcopyrite structure in a doping range of x=0-0.2. The structural analyses show that the 3d transition metal of Mn or Co prefers to occupy the 4b crystal position. Mn-doped CuIn1-xMnxTe2 (x=0-0.3) show paramagnetic characteristics at room temperature with the susceptibilities of about 10-5. However, lightly Co-doping into CuIn1-xCoxTe2 shows ferromagnetism at room temperature under a low applied field. This phenomenon is suggested to result from the spin-spin interactions between Co atoms which lead to the ferromagnetism. CuIn0.9Co0.1Te2 with ferromagnetism at room temperature under a low field revealed in this work indicates that it a good candidate for photovoltaic cells application since its bandgap matches well with that of CuIn1-xGaxSe2 with high conversion efficiency.
Highlights
The magnetic semiconductors have received more interests due to their potential application on the spin-electronic devices by combining electric transport and magnetism.[1]
The 3d metals such as Mn or Co doping into semiconductors could cause the magnetic behavior associated with the semiconductor by spin controlling electric transport, and induces the formation of a spin injecting structure for the electrical or optical control of ferromagnetism.[6,7]
The field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to check the possible magnetic impurities such as Co, Co-Cu alloys etc, which might be not detected by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) patterns due to their tiny contents in CuIn1-xCoxTe2
Summary
The magnetic semiconductors have received more interests due to their potential application on the spin-electronic devices by combining electric transport and magnetism.[1]. CMS were extensively studied due to their peculiar properties such as the red shift of band gap by setting ferromagnetism in semiconductor, resulting from the exchange interaction between itinerant electrons and localized magnetic spins.[2] the further development and mass production of these materials were limited due to their extremely low Curie temperature (Tc) and notorious difficulty in materials synthesis.[3] The diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) with doping lightly 3d transition metal into semiconductors such as (Ga, Mn)As and (In, Mn)As have attracted much attention due to their excellent magnetic transport properties.[4,5] The 3d metals such as Mn or Co doping into semiconductors could cause the magnetic behavior associated with the semiconductor by spin controlling electric transport, and induces the formation of a spin injecting structure for the electrical or optical control of ferromagnetism.[6,7] Based on Zener’s model, Tc values of the III-V, II-VI and IV-IV group semiconductors might go up to the room temperature by adjusting Mn content.[8]
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