Carrier-mediated antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling in diluted magnetic semiconductor multilayers Ga$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$As/GaAs:Be

TL;DR

This study demonstrates carrier-mediated antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling in GaMnAs/GaAs:Be multilayers using neutron reflectometry, revealing how Be doping influences magnetic interactions in semiconductor heterostructures.

Contribution

It provides direct experimental evidence of carrier-mediated AFM coupling in diluted magnetic semiconductor multilayers, highlighting the role of Be doping in tuning magnetic interactions.

Findings

AFM coupling observed via neutron reflectometry

AFM coupling suppressed above saturation field

Be doping induces carrier-mediated magnetic interactions

Abstract

We use neutron reflectometry to investigate the interlayer exchange coupling between Ga$_{0.97}$Mn$_{0.03}$As ferromagnetic semiconductor layers separated by non-magnetic Be-doped GaAs spacers. Polarized neutron reflectivity measured below the Curie temperature of Ga$_{0.97}$Mn$_{0.03}$As reveals a characteristic splitting at the wave vector corresponding to twice the multilayer period, indicating that the coupling between the ferromagnetic layers are antiferromagnetic (AFM). When the applied field is increased to above the saturation field, this AFM coupling is suppressed. This behavior is not observed when the spacers are undoped, suggesting that the observed AFM coupling is mediated by charge carriers introduced via Be doping. The behavior of magnetization of the multilayers measured by DC magnetometry is consistent with the neutron reflectometry results.