Spin Splitting Tunable Optical Bandgap in GdN Thin Films for Spin Filtering

Rare-earth nitrides, such as gadolinium nitride (GdN), have great potential for spintronic devices due to their unique magnetic and electronic properties. GdN has a large magnetic moment, low coercitivity and strong spin polarization suitable for spin transistors, magnetic memories and spin-based quantum computing devices. Its large spin splitting of the optical bandgap functions as a spin-filter that offers the means for spin-polarized current injection into metals, superconductors, topological insulators, 2D layers and other novel materials. As spintronics devices require thin films, a successful implementation of GdN demands a detailed investigation of the optical and magnetic properties in very thin films. With this objective, we investigate the dependence of the direct and indirect optical bandgaps (Eg) of half-metallic GdN, using the trilayer structure AlN(10 nm)/GdN(t)/AlN(10 nm) for GdN film thickness t in the ranging from 6 nm to 350 nm, in both paramagnetic (PM) and ferromagnetic (FM) phases. Our results show a bandgap of 1.6 eV in the PM state, while in the FM state the bandgap splits for the majority (0.8 eV) and minority (1.2 eV) spin states. As the GdN film becomes thinner the spin split magnitude increases by 60%, going from 0.290 eV to 0.460 eV. Our results point to methods for engineering GdN films for spintronic devices

Magnetization steps in Zn_(1-x)Mn_xO: Four largest exchange constants and single-ion anisotropy

Magnetization steps (MST's) from Mn pairs in several single crystals of Zn_(1-x)Mn_xO (0.0056<=x<=0.030, and in one powder (x=0.029), were observed. The largest two exchange constants, J1/kB=-18.2+/-0.5K and J1'/kB=-24.3+/-0.6K, were obtained from large peaks in the differential susceptibility, dM/dH, measured in pulsed magnetic fields, H, up to 500 kOe. These two largest J's are associated with the two inequivalent classes of nearest neighbors (NN's) in the wurtzite structure. The 29% difference between J1 and J1' is substantially larger than 13% in CdS:Mn, and 15% in CdSe:Mn. The pulsed-field data also indicate that, despite the direct contact between the samples and a superfluid-helium bath, substantial departures from thermal equilibrium occurred during the 7.4 ms pulse. The third- and fourth-largest J's were determined from the magnetization M at 20 mK, measured in dc magnetic fields H up to 90 kOe. Both field orientations H||c and H||[10-10] were studied. (The [10-10] direction is perpendicular to the c-axis, [0001].) By definition, neighbors which are not NN's are distant neighbors (DN's). The largest DN exchange constant (third-largest overall), has the value J/kB=-0.543+/-0.005K, and is associated with the DN at r=c. Because this is not the closest DN, this result implies that the J's do not decrease monotonically with the distance r. The second-largest DN exchange constant (fourth-largest overall), has the value J/kB=-0.080 K. It is associated with one of the two classes of neighbors that have a coordination number z=12, but the evidence is insufficient for a definite unique choice. The dependence of M on the direction of H gives D/kB=-0.039+/-0.008K, in fair agreement with -0.031 K from earlier EPR work.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures. Submitted to PR

Magnetization steps in a diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain: Theory and experiments on TMMC:Cd

A theory for the equilibrium low-temperature magnetization M of a diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain is presented. The magnetization curve, M versus B, is calculated using the exact contributions of finite chains with 1 to 5 spins, and the "rise and ramp approximation" for longer chains. Some non-equilibrium effects that occur in a rapidly changing B, are also considered. Specific non-equilibrium models based on earlier treatments of the phonon bottleneck, and of spin flips associated with cross relaxation and with level crossings, are discussed. Magnetization data on powders of TMMC diluted with cadmium [i.e., (CH_3)_4NMn_xCd_(1-x)Cl_3, with 0.16<=x<=0.50 were measured at 0.55 K in 18 T superconducting magnets. The field B_1 at the first MST from pairs is used to determine the NN exchange constant, J, which changes from -5.9 K to -6.5 K as x increases from 0.16 to 0.50. The magnetization curves obtained in the superconducting magnets are compared with simulations based on the equilibrium theory. Data for the differential susceptibility, dM/dB, were taken in pulsed magnetic fields (7.4 ms duration) up to 50 T, with the powder samples in a 1.5 K liquid-helium bath. Non-equilibrium effects, which became more severe as x decreased, were observed. The non-equilibrium effects are tentatively interpreted using the "Inadequate Heat Flow Scenario," or to cross-relaxation, and crossings of energy levels, including those of excited states.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figure