D. Wasik

Determining Curie temperature of (Ga,Mn)As samples based on electrical transport measurements: Low Curie temperature case

In this paper, we show that the widely accepted method of the determination of Curie temperature (TC) in (Ga,Mn)As samples, based on the position of the peak in the temperature derivative of the resistivity, completely fails in the case of non-metallic and low-TC unannealed samples. In this case, we propose an alternative method, also based on electric transport measurements, which exploits temperature dependence of the second derivative of the resistivity upon magnetic field.

Temperature dependence of electrical properties of gallium-nitride bulk single crystals doped with Mg and their evolution with annealing

Comprehensive studies of the electrical properties of Mg-doped bulk GaN crystals, grown by high-pressure synthesis, were performed as a function of temperature up to 750 °C. Annealing of the samples in nitrogen ambient modifies qualitatively their resistivity values ρ and the ρ(T) variation. It was found that our material is characterized by a high concentration of oxygen-related donors and that the charge transport in the studied samples is determined by two types of states, one of shallow character (Mg-related state, EA≈0.15 eV), and the second one much more deep, E2≈0.95 eV (above the valence band). Depending on the effective concentration of either states, different resistivities ρ can be observed: lower resistivity (ρ 106 Ω cm at ambient temperature) in samples with dominant E2 states. For the first type of samples, annealing at Tann<500 °C leads to a decrease of their resistivity and is associated with a...

Structure and magnetism of MnAs nanocrystals embedded in GaAs as a function of post-growth annealing temperature

Self-organized Ga(Mn)As nanoclusters, embedded in GaAs, were formed during post-growth thermal annealing of Ga1−xMnxAs layers. Structural and magnetic properties of such composites were systematically studied as a function of the annealing temperature. Small (∼3 nm) Mn-rich zinc-blende Mn(Ga)As clusters, coherent with the GaAs matrix, were formed at the annealing temperature of 500 °C. An increase of the annealing temperature of up to 600 °C led to the creation of 10–20 nm large NiAs-type hexagonal MnAs nanocrystals. Magnetization measurements showed that the MnAs nanoprecipitates were superparamagnetic, with a distribution of blocking temperatures that depended on the MnAs cluster size. Some intermediate paramagnetic clusters (structurally disordered clusters) were also observed.

Hydrostatic pressure study of the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition in (Ga,Mn)As

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition has been studied in (Ga,Mn)As. The variation in the Curie temperature (T-C) with pressure was monitored by two transport methods: (1) measurement of zero-field resistivity versus temperature rho(T) and (2) dependence on temperature of the Hall voltage hysteresis loop. Two specimens of different resistivity characteristics were examined. The measured pressure-induced changes in T-C were relatively small (on the order of 1 K/GPa) for both samples, however they were opposite for the two.

Electronic properties of low-temperature InP

We have investigated InP layers grown by low-temperature (LT) gas source molecular beam epitaxy. Using high-pressure hall effect measurements, we have found that the electronic transport in the LT epilayers is determined by the presence of the dominant deep donor level which is resonant with the conduction band (CB) located 120 meV above the CB minimum (ECB). We find that its pressure derivative is 105 meV/GPa. This large pressure derivative reveals the highly localized character of the donor which via auto-ionization gives rise to the high free electron concentration n. From the deep level transient spectroscopy and Hall effect measurements, we find two other deep levels in the band gap at ECB−0.23 eV and ECB−0.53 eV. We assign the two levels at ECB 0.12 eV and ECB−0.23 eV to the first and second ionization stages of the phosphorus antisite defect.

Structural and magnetic properties of iron nanowires and iron nanoparticles fabricated through a reduction reaction

Summary The main goal of this work is to study the structural and magnetic properties of iron nanowires and iron nanoparticles, which have been fabricated in almost the same processes. The only difference in the synthesis is an application of an external magnetic field in order to form the iron nanowires. Both nanomaterials have been examined by means of transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry and Mössbauer spectrometry to determine their structures. Structural investigations confirm that obtained iron nanowires as well as nanoparticles reveal core–shell structures and they are composed of crystalline iron cores that are covered by amorphous or highly defected phases of iron and iron oxides. Magnetic properties have been measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The obtained values of coercivity, remanent magnetization, saturation magnetization as well as Curie temperature differ for both studied nanostructures. Higher values of magnetizations are observed for iron nanowires. At the same time, coercivity and Curie temperature are higher for iron nanoparticles.

Hydrostatic pressure study of indium DX-like centers in MBE-grown CdTe and CdMnTe layers

We present Hall effect and resistivity measurements as functions of hydrostatic pressure performed on MBE-grown CdTe and CdMnTe layers doped with indium. Our data give evidence that indium impurities introduce to the layers a localized resonant state lying about 130 meV above the bottom of the conduction band and having a DX-like character. The experimental data are analyzed using both positive and negative U models of the In charge state. Both models reasonably reproduce the experimental behaviour.

Spatial correlations of In-donor charges in CdTe layers

Abstract We present experimental evidence that indium donors in CdTe localize electrons in a spatially correlated manner. We have studied the Hall mobility, μ H , as a function of the electron concentration, n H , at T = 77 K. Three methods leading to changes of n H have been used (i) high pressure freeze-out of electrons onto localized states of In-donors, (ii) the persistent photoconductivity effect, and (iii) a subsequent annealing of the sample. Each method causes a related modification in a degree of spatial correlations in the arrangement of donor charges. As a consequence, different values of μ H correspond to the same value of n H .

The influence of thermal annealing on structure and oxidation of iron nanowires

Abstract Raman spectroscopy as well as Mössbauer spectroscopy were applied in order to study the phase composition of iron nanowires and its changes, caused by annealing in a neutral atmosphere at several temperatures ranging from 200°C to 800°C. As-prepared nanowires were manufactured via a simple chemical reduction in an external magnetic field. Both experimental techniques proved formation of the surface layer covered by crystalline iron oxides, with phase composition dependent on the annealing temperature (Ta). At higher Ta, hematite was the dominant phase in the nanowires.

Magnetic properties of MnSb inclusions formed in GaSb matrix directly during molecular beam epitaxial growth

Despite of intensive search for the proper semiconductor base materials for spintronic devices working at room temperature no appropriate material based on ferromagnetic semiconductors has been found so far. We demonstrate that the phase segregated system with MnSb hexagonal inclusions inside the GaSb matrix, formed directly during the molecular beam epitaxial growth reveals the ferromagnetic properties at room temperature and is a good candidate for exploitation in spintronics. Furthermore, the MnSb inclusions with only one crystalline structure were identified in this GaMn:MnSb granular material. The SQUID magnetometry confirmed that this material exhibits ferromagnetic like behavior starting from helium up to room temperature. Moreover, the magnetic anisotropy was found which was present also at room temperature, and it was proved that by choosing a proper substrate it is possible to control the direction of easy axis of inclusions’ magnetization moment between in-plane and out-of-plane; the latter is ...