Studies on the InGaGdN/GaN magnetic semiconductor heterostructures grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

Abstract

InGaGdN single-layer and InGaGdN/GaN superlattice (SL) structures were grown on the MOVPE-grown GaN (0001) template substrates by radio frequency molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure data showed no existence of a secondary phase such as GdN or InN and the Gd atom occupation at the group-III site. Magnetization versus magnetic field curves exhibited clear hysteresis and saturation at both 10 and 300K. The InGaGdN/GaN SL sample showed higher saturation magnetization per volume than the InGaGdN single-layer sample.