Origin of room-temperature ferromagnetism in Mn doped semiconducting CdGeP2

Abstract

CdGeP2 chalcopyrites doped with Mn have been recently found to exhibit room temperature ferromagnetism. Isovalent substitution of the Cd site is expected, however, to create antiferromagnetism, in analogy with the well-known CdTe:Mn (d^5) case. However, chalcopyrite semiconductors exhibit low-energy intrinsic defects. We show theoretically how ferromagnetism results from the interaction of Mn with hole-producing intrinsic defects.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. (To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett.