Carrier induced ferromagnetic interactions in p-doped Zn(1-x)MnxTe epilayers

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that p-type doping in Zn(1-x)MnxTe epilayers induces ferromagnetic interactions between Mn spins via holes, significantly affecting transport properties despite weak localization at low temperatures.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of hole-mediated ferromagnetic interactions in p-doped Zn(1-x)MnxTe, highlighting the role of carrier concentration and Mn content.

Findings

Holes induce ferromagnetic interactions between Mn spins.

Transport properties are modified by hole doping, including a metal-insulator transition.

Weak localization occurs at low temperatures despite ferromagnetic coupling.

Abstract

p-type doping of molecular-beam-epitaxy grown layers of the diluted magnetic semiconductor Zn(1-x)MnxTe is achieved by using an active nitrogen cell. The strong interaction between the localized Mn spins and the holes deeply modifies the transport properties (metal-insulator transition, spin-dependent Hall effect). In spite of the weak localization of the carriers at low temperature, the holes clearly induce a ferromagnetic interaction between the localized spins, which is discussed as a function of Mn content and hole concentration.