Semimagnetic semiconductor oxides as materials for transparent electronics and spintronics

Zinc oxide-based semimagnetic semiconductor (SMS) ZnMnO, ZnMnFeO and ZnMnSnO thin films were deposited on sapphire and glass substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and RF sputtering techniques. Further, ZnMnO nanocrystals embedded in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) matrices were prepared by chemical method employing zinc acetate and manganese acetate as precursors. The morphology of the thin films was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Large variety of the morphology images was obtained depending on the film composition and growth conditions. The most interesting feature was observed for the ZnMnSnO films, in which the formation of clusters including nanowire-like structures was shown. Optical transmission spectra suggest that metalsMn, Fe and Sn substitute for Zn2+ ions in the ZnO lattice, resulting in the increase in the band gap energy.Magneto-optical Faraday rotation measurements confirm ferromagnetic ordering in ZnMnFeO thin films and paramagnetic behaviour for the other films.The work has been supported in part by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukrain

Effects of codoping in ZnO-based semimagnetic semiconductor thin films

Single doped Zn1-xMnxO, Zn1-xFexO and codoped Zn1-x-yMnxFeyO, Zn1-x-yMnxSnyO, Zn1-x-yMnxLiyO, Zn1-x-yFexAlyO thin films were grown on sapphire and glass substrate by pulsed laser deposition and RF sputtering techniques. No secondary phases was detected from XRD analysis. Among the studied oxide films single doped with Fe and codoped with (Mn,Fe) and (Fe, Al) exhibit n-type conductivity and room temperature ferromagnetic behaviour. For the films codoped with (Mn, Sn) formation of clusters including nanowire-like structures was shown from AFM analysis. Optical and magnetooptical studies suggest of Mn, Fe, Sn and Li substitution for Zn2+ ions in ZnO lattice.This research was partially supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine