A proposed new route to d0 magnetism in semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel method to induce d0 magnetism in semiconductors by using interstitial defects, specifically in alpha-PbO, which could enable room-temperature magnetic percolation for spintronic applications.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach to generate d0 magnetism in semiconductors through interstitial defects with tunable magnetic moments, expanding the possibilities for magnetic semiconductor design.

Findings

Interstitial defects can induce localized magnetic moments in alpha-PbO.

Non-magnetic impurities with specific electron configurations can generate d0 magnetism.

Long-range interactions may enable room-temperature magnetic percolation.

Abstract

Here we propose to induce magnetism in semiconductor utilizing the unique properties of the interstitial defect to act as the magnetic impurity within the alpha-PbO crystal structure. The Pbi interstitial generates the p-localized state with two on-site electrons to obey the Hund's rule for their ordering. It is demonstrated that instead of Pb interstitial other non-magnetic impurities of s^2p^{x} outer shell configuration can be applied to induce d0 magnetism with possibility to tune the local magnetic moments mu_B by varying a number of electrons 1< x< 3. The magnetic coupling between such defects is found to be driven by the long-range order interactions that in combination with high defect solubility promises the magnetic percolation to remain above the room temperature.