Resonant soft X-ray emission and X-ray absorption studies on Ga_1-xMn_xN grown by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

In this study thin film samples of Ga1-xMnxN were grown by pulsed laser deposition on A12O3 (0001) substrates. X-ray diffraction measurements have confirmed these thin films exhibit hexagonal wurtzite structure. SQUID measurements show room temperature ferromagnetism of these dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS). The techniques of X-ray absorption and soft X-ray emission spectroscopy at the N K-edge were used to study the changes in the unoccupied and occupied N 2p partial density of states respectively as a function of dopant concentration. These element and site specific spectroscopies allow us to characterise the electronic structure of these doped materials and reveal the influence of the Mn doping on the valence band as measured through the N 2p partial density of states. X-ray absorption measurements at the Mn L-edge confirm significant substitutional doping of Mn into Ga-sites. Finally, measurements of heavily Mn-doped films using both soft X-ray absorption and resonant soft X-ray emission at the N K edge reveal the presence of trapped molecular nitrogen. The trapped molecular nitrogen may be due to the high instantaneous deposition rate in the PLD process for these samples