X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and photoemission study of the diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor Zn$_{1-x}$Cr$_x$Te

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic and electronic properties of the diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor Zn$_{1-x}$Cr$_x$Te using XMCD and photoemission, revealing divalent Cr ions and strong electron interactions.

Contribution

It provides detailed spectroscopic analysis showing the valence state and electronic interactions of Cr in Zn$_{1-x}$Cr$_x$Te, highlighting the role of Jahn-Teller effects and Coulomb interactions.

Findings

Cr ions are divalent under tetrahedral crystal field

Spectral weight near Fermi level is suppressed

Strong Coulomb interaction influences electronic structure

Abstract

We have performed x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and valence-band photoemission studies of the diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor Zn$_{1-x}$Cr$_x$Te. XMCD signals due to ferromagnetism were observed at the Cr 2p absorption edge. Comparison with atomic multiplet calculations suggests that the magnetically active component of the Cr ion was divalent under the tetrahedral crystal field with tetragonal distortion along the crystalline a-, b-, and c-axes. In the valence-band spectra, spectral weight near the Fermi level was strongly suppressed, suggesting the importance of Jahn-Teller effect and the strong Coulomb interaction between the Cr 3d electrons.