Ferromagnetism in Doped Thin-Film Oxide and Nitride Semiconductors and Dielectrics

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Surface Science Reports, 61(8):345-381

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfrep.2006.05.001· OSTI ID:910008

Chambers, Scott A

The principal goal in the field of high-Tc ferromagnetic semiconductors is the synthesis, characterization and utilization of semiconductors which exhibit substantial carrier spin polarization at and above room temperature. Such materials are of critical importance in the emerging field of semiconductor spintronics. The interaction leading to carrier spin polarization, exchange coupling between the dopant spins and the valence or conduction band, is known to be sufficiently weak in conventional semiconductors, such as GaAs and Si, that magnetic ordering above cryogenic temperatures is essentially impossible. Since the provocative theoretical predictions of Tc above ambient in p-Mn:ZnO and p-Mn:GaN (T. Dietl et al., Science 287 1019 (2000)), and the observation of room-temperature ferromagnetism in Co:TiO2 anatase (Y. Matsumoto et al., Science 291 854 (2001)), there has been a flurry of work in oxides and nitrides doped with transition metals with unpaired d electrons. It has even been claimed that room-temperature ferromagnetism can be obtained in certain d0 transition metals oxides without a dopant. In this Report, the field of transition metal doped oxides and nitrides is critically reviewed and assessed from a materials science perspective. Since much of the field centers around thin film growth, this Report focuses on films prepared not only by conventional vacuum deposition methods, but also by spin coating colloidal nanoparticles.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 910008
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-48337; KC0201050
• Journal Information: Surface Science Reports, 61(8):345-381, Journal Name: Surface Science Reports, 61(8):345-381
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English