Room-temperature ferromagnetism in p-type (Mn, N)-codoped ZnO thin films achieved by thermal oxidation of sputtered Zn3N2:Mn films

• Published in: Journal of physics. D, Applied physics Vol. 41; no. 11; pp. 115008 - 115008 (4)
• Main Authors: Lu, Z L, Mo, Z R, Zou, W Q, Wang, S, Yan, G Q, Liu, X C, Lin, Y B, Xu, J P, Lv, L Y, Wu, X M, Xia, Z H, Xu, M X, Zhang, F M, Du, Y W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 07.06.2008; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of monolayers and thin films; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Magnetic semiconductors; Physics; Studies of specific magnetic materials; Annealing; Curie point; Doping; Manganese additions; XRD; Semimagnetic semiconductors; Thin films; Zinc oxide; Nitrogen additions; Ferromagnetism; Oxidation; Codoping; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0022-3727; 1361-6463
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/41/11/115008

P-type (Mn, N)-codoped ZnO films have been fabricated by oxidative annealing of sputtered Zn2N3 : Mn films on silicon substrates at 550 deg C in flowing O2 ambient. X-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies reveal that the Mn and N ions incorporated into the ZnO lattice are divalent Mn2+ and trivalent N3- ions, respectively. Ferromagnetism with Curie temperature above 300 K was observed in p-type (Mn, N)-codoped ZnO films. The results indicate that holes are favourable for ferromagnetic ordering in doped Mn2+ ions in ZnO, in agreement with recent theoretical studies.