Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of Mo1-xFexO2 (x=0-0.05) thin films grown by pulsed laser ablation

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the successful growth and characterization of Fe-doped MoO2 thin films with monoclinic structure, low resistivity, and room-temperature ferromagnetism, using pulsed laser ablation.

Contribution

First report of Fe doping in MoO2 thin films showing ferromagnetism at room temperature with detailed structural and electronic analysis.

Findings

Fe ions are in +2 state and substitute Mo in the lattice.

Fe doping induces ferromagnetism at room temperature.

Films exhibit low resistivity (~100 microohm-cm).

Abstract

We report the growth of undoped and Fe (2 and 5 at. percentage) doped molybdenum oxide thin films on c-plane of sapphire substrate using pulsed laser ablation. X-ray diffraction results show that the films are oriented in (100) direction and have monoclinic structure based on MoO2 phase as also supported by Raman spectroscopy. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals chemical state of Fe is +2, which favors the substitutional occupancy of Fe ion in the MoO2 matrix. The room temperature resistivity of all the films are very low (approx.100 microohm-cm). The Fe doped samples show ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature.