Carriers-mediated ferromagnetic enhancement in Al-doped ZnMnO dilute magnetic semiconductors

Journal Article · Tue Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Materials Characterization

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2011.08.003· OSTI ID:22066351

Saleem, Murtaza ^[1]; Siddiqi, Saadat A ^[1]; Atiq, Shahid ^[1]; Anwar, M Sabieh; Hussain, Irshad ^[2]; Alam, Shahzad ^[3]

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1. Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore-54590 (Pakistan)
2. School of Science and Engineering (SSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Opposite Sector U, D.H.A. Lahore Cantt-54792 (Pakistan)
3. Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Laboratories Complex, Lahore (Pakistan)

Nano-crystalline Zn{sub 0.95-x}Mn{sub 0.05}Al{sub x}O (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10) dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) were synthesized by sol-gel derived auto-combustion. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that the samples have pure wurtzite structure typical of ZnO without the formation of secondary phases or impurity. Crystallite sizes were approximated by Scherrer formula while surface morphology and grain sizes were measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Incorporation of Mn and Al into the ZnO structure was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Temperature dependent electrical resistivity measurements showed a decreasing trend with the doping of Al in ZnMnO, which is attributable to the enhancement of free carriers. Vibrating sample magnetometer studies confirmed the presence of ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. The results indicate that Al doping results in significant variation in the concentration of free carriers and correspondingly the carrier-mediated magnetization and room temperature ferromagnetic behavior, showing promise for practical applications. We attribute the enhanced saturation magnetization and electrical conductivity to the exchange interaction mediated by free electrons.

• OSTI ID: 22066351
• Journal Information: Materials Characterization, Vol. 62, Issue 11; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALS
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
EXCHANGE INTERACTIONS
FIELD EMISSION
GRAIN SIZE
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTORS
MAGNETIZATION
MANGANATES
MORPHOLOGY
NANOSTRUCTURES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SOL-GEL PROCESS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ZINC OXIDES