W. Knoff

Paramagnetism of cobalt-doped ZnO nanoparticles obtained by microwave solvothermal synthesis.

Summary Zinc oxide nanopowders doped with 1–15 mol % cobalt were produced by the microwave solvothermal synthesis (MSS) technique. The obtained nanoparticles were annealed at 800 °C in nitrogen (99.999%) and in synthetic air. The material nanostructure was investigated by means of the following techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), helium pycnometry density, specific surface area (SSA), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and with magnetometry using superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). Irrespective of the Co content, nanoparticles in their initial state present a similar morphology. They are composed of loosely agglomerated spherical particles with wurtzite-type crystal structure with crystallites of a mean size of 30 nm. Annealing to temperatures of up to 800 °C induced the growth of crystallites up to a maximum of 2 μm in diameter. For samples annealed in high purity nitrogen, the precipitation of metallic α-Co was detected for a Co content of 5 mol % or more. For samples annealed in synthetic air, no change of phase structure was detected, except for precipitation of Co3O4 for a Co content of 15 mol %. The results of the magentometry investigation indicated that all as-synthesized samples displayed paramagnetic properties with a contribution of anti-ferromagnetic coupling of Co–Co pairs. After annealing in synthetic air, the samples remained paramagnetic and samples annealed under nitrogen flow showed a magnetic response under the influences of a magnetic field, likely related to the precipitation of metallic Co in nanoparticles.

Ferromagnetic Transition in Ge_{1-x}Mn_{x}Te Layers

Ferromagnetic transition temperature in thin layers of diluted magnetic (semimagnetic) semiconductor Ge1−xMnxTe was studied experimentally by SQUID magnetometry method and analyzed theoretically for a model Ising-type diluted magnetic system with Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida indirect exchange interaction. The key features of the experimentally observed dependence of the Curie temperature on Mn content (x ≤ 0.12) and conducting hole concentration p = (1–10)× 10 cm−3 were reproduced theoretically for realistic valence band and crystal lattice parameters of p-Ge1−xMnxTe taking into account short carrier mean free path encountered in this material and Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida mechanism with both delta-like and diffused character of spatial dependence of the exchange coupling between magnetic ions and free carriers.

Diluted magnetic semiconductors based on II–VI, III–VI, and IV–VI compounds

Chemical and phase composition, magnetic susceptibility, SIMS, magnetic force microscopy, and neutron diffraction data for Ge1−x−ySnxMnyTe, InSe⟨Mn⟩, and ZnO⟨Co, Mn⟩ single crystals are investigated over a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields. For Ge1−x−ySnxMnyTe the existence of ferromagnetic (FM) ordering with a Curie temperature TC∼50K, due to an indirect exchange interaction between Mn ions via the degenerate hole gas, is established. It is shown that at T<50K the ferromagnetic regions of the crystal form a spin-glass phase. In InSe⟨Mn⟩ it is found that hysteresis loops of the magnetic moment M(H) are observed up to 350K. They attest to the existence of ferromagnetic ordering, which is apparently due to ferromagnetic clusters in which a superexchange of the Mn ions via the Se anions is proposed, and to an indirect interaction via the 2D electron gas. At T<70K a period doubling of the magnetic sublattice of α‐MnSe second-phase inclusions is observed, and their distribution in the layered stru...

Ferromagnetic nanocomposites as spintronic materials with controlled magnetic structure

The physical properties of ferromagnetic dilute magnetic semiconductors and nanocomposites are considered in a wide range of temperatures from 5 to 300 K. The latter have several advantages as spintronic materials with a controlled magnetic structure for weak magnetic field sensors. A characteristic feature of ferromagnetic nanocomposites is the spin-dependent tunneling conductance, which is responsible for the negative and positive magnetoresistance. The magnetoresistive effects have a wide range of applications. In particular, materials with such effects may be used in the development of magnetoresistive memory devices, weak magnetic field sensors, medical diagnostic devices, and other items of electronic equipment.

Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of PbGeEuTe Layers

The structural and electrical properties of Pb1−yGeyTe and Pb1−x−yGeyEuxTe (0≤y≤0.4 and x≤0.05) monocrystalline layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy technique on BaF2 (111) substrate were studied by X-ray diffraction, Hall effect, and electrical conductivity measurements. Based on the temperature dependence of the lattice parameter the structural (ferroelectric) transition temperature was found in the temperature range before 100 to 250 K in layers with varying Ge and Eu content. Electrical measurements indicates that incorporation of Eu ions in the PbGeTe crystal matrix decreases the electrical conductivity in p-type PbGeEuTe layers by 1–2 orders of magnitude.

Efficient thermoelectric energy conversion in Pb0.95Mn0.05Te p-n couple

We demonstrate an efficient energy conversion in a p-n thermoelectric couple built of bulk Pb0.95Mn0.05Te crystals grown by the Bridgman method and heavily doped n-type with Bi ( n=1.9×1019cm−3) or p-type with Na ( p=2.3×1019cm−3). Substitution of Mn2+ ions for Pb2+ ions at the rock-salt lattice cation sites increases the band gap of Pb1−xMnxTe and decreases the energy separation between the light hole L-band and the heavy hole Σ-band. It results in a large increase of thermoelectric power and improved thermoelectric parameters of p-type Pb1−xMnxTe. Applying the Harman method for samples of various lengths, we experimentally determined the radiation correction factors and found the thermoelectric figure of merit parameter ZT=0.75–0.8 at T=650 K for both n- and p-type materials with good thermoelectric matching of the couple. We report on thermoelectric performance of a p-n thermoelectric couple assembled of these materials and tested over the T=300–670 K temperature region.

Influence of the electrical conductivity on magnetic properties of CdZnMnTe epitaxial layers

Magnetic susceptibility and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) have been measured in epitaxial layers of Cd1−x−yZnxMnyTe. This magnetic quaternary alloy, similarly to the non‐magnetic ternary alloy Cd1−x ZnxTe, exhibits bistable resistance and ferroelectric properties at the room temperature. We show that the magnetic properties of Cd1−x−yZnxMnyTe depend of the resistance state of the material. The effect is explained by a changing of magnetic coupling between the neighboring Mn atoms from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic. By first principle calculations we show that the ferromagnetic coupling is mediated by a presence of a Zn‐interstitial‐vacancy complex in the vicinity of Mn‐Mn pair.

Magnetic and Structural Properties of Ferromagnetic GeMnTe Layers

Ferromagnetic Ge1−xMnxTe thin films with x≤0.19 were deposited on (111) oriented BaF2 monocrystals using molecular beam epitaxy technique. X-ray diffraction carried out at high temperatures for samples with x≤0.05 revealed ferroelectric transition from rock-salt to rhombohedral structure at T=625–675 K. The magnetic properties investigated with SQUID magnetometry and ferromagnetic resonance technique exhibit an easy magnetization direction normal to the plane in as grown samples. We attribute this finding to lattice strain due to mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients or to the crystalline stress related to inhomogeneous distribution of Mn ions in the sample volume. Thermal treatment changes the easy axis into in-plane direction which can be associated with distinct improvement of the structural properties.