Two magnetic regimes in doped ZnO corresponding to a dilute magnetic semiconductor and a dilute magnetic insulator

TL;DR

This study explores the magnetic properties of doped ZnO films, revealing two distinct magnetic regimes—dilute magnetic semiconductor and insulator—dependent on carrier density, with implications for spintronic applications.

Contribution

It identifies and characterizes two magnetic regimes in doped ZnO, linking carrier density to magnetic behavior and demonstrating the material's potential as a magnetic semiconductor.

Findings

Ferromagnetism occurs in both insulating and metallic ZnO films.

Insulating films show variable range hopping and room temperature ferromagnetism.

Metallic ZnO exhibits strong magneto-optic signals and anomalous Hall effect.

Abstract

Films of ZnO doped with magnetic ions, Mn and Co and, in some cases, with Al have been fabricated with a very wide range of carrier densities. Ferromagnetic behaviour is observed in both insulating and metallic films, but not when the carrier density is intermediate. Insulating films exhibit variable range hopping at low temperatures and are ferromagnetic at room temperature due to the interaction of the localised spins with static localised states. The magnetism is quenched when carriers in the localised states become mobile. In the metallic (degenerate semiconductor) range, robust ferromagnetism reappears together with very strong magneto-optic signals and room temperature anomalous Hall data. This demonstrates the polarisation of the conduction bands and indicates that, when ZnO is doped into the metallic regime, it behaves as a genuine magnetic semiconductor.