How to make semiconductors ferromagnetic: A first course on spintronics

TL;DR

This paper provides an overview of the physical mechanisms behind ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors, emphasizing recent developments and the interplay of disorder, band structure, and material choice.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive review of the physical principles, recent progress, and key factors influencing ferromagnetism in magnetic semiconductors, highlighting the importance of magnetic and transport property correlations.

Findings

Disorder and localization significantly affect magnetic properties.

Material choice critically influences Curie temperature.

Magnetic and transport properties are closely linked.

Abstract

The rapidly developing field of ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors, where a semiconductor host is magnetically doped by transition metal impurities to produce a ferromagnetic semiconductor (e.g. Ga_{1-x}Mn_xAs with x ~ 1-10 %), is discussed with the emphasis on elucidating the physical mechanisms underlying the magnetic properties. Recent key developments are summarized with critical discussions of the roles of disorder, localization, band structure, defects, and the choice of materials in producing good magnetic quality and high Curie temperature. The correlation between magnetic and transport properties is argued to be a crucial ingredient in developing a full understanding of the properties of ferromagnetic semiconductors.