Interlayer exchange coupling in ferromagnet-semiconductor digital magnetic alloys

Journal Article · Thu May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063776108050117· OSTI ID:21242010

The interlayer exchange coupling in ferromagnet-semiconductor digital magnetic alloys in which monolyers (submonolayers) of transition metals are embedded into a semiconductor matrix is studied theoretically. A mechanism of an indirect exchange between ferromagnetic {delta} layers is proposed; it is based on the confinement of carriers in two-dimensional spin-polarized states inside the energy gap of the semiconductor. These appear due to strong potential and exchange carrier scattering by the {delta} layers. The interlayer exchange coupling is shown to occur through a nondegenerate semiconductor interlayer because of virtual electron excitations through an energy barrier separating these partly filled two-dimensional spin-polarized states and the edge of the bulk semiconductor band. The interlayer coupling intensity decreases exponentially with increasing distance between neighboring {delta} layers, and the type of this coupling can change from ferromagnetic into antiferromagnetic or vice versa as the interlayer thickness or the degree of filling the two-dimensional states increases.

• OSTI ID: 21242010
• Journal Information: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 106; ISSN JTPHES; ISSN 1063-7761
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALLOYS
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
CHARGE CARRIERS
ELECTRONS
ENERGY GAP
EXCITATION
LAYERS
POTENTIALS
SCATTERING
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPIN ORIENTATION
THICKNESS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS