High-temperature ferromagnetism in pulsed-laser deposited epitaxial (Zn,Mn)O thin films: Effects of substrate temperature

Authors

Aswini K. Pradhan, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State UniversityFollow
Kai Zhang, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Virginia
S. Mohanty, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Virginia
J.B. Dadson, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Virginia
D. Hunter, Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Virginia
Jun Zhang, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
David J. Sellmyer, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
U.N. Roy, Department of Physics, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee
Y. Cui, Department of Physics, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee
A. Burger, Department of Physics, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee
S. Mathews, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Orissa, India
B. Joseph, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Orissa, India
B.R. Sekhar, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Orissa, India
B.K. Roul, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Orissa, India

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

4-11-2005

Comments

Published by American Institute of Physics. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 152511 (2005). ©2005 American Institute of Physics. Permission to use. http://apl.aip.org/jap/.

Abstract

We report on the observation of remarkable room-temperature ferromagnetism in epitaxial (Zn,Mn)O films grown by a pulsed-laser deposition technique using high-density targets. The optimum growth conditions were demonstrated from x-ray measurements, microstructure, Rutherford backscattering, micro-Raman, and magnetic studies. Superior ferromagnetic properties were observed in (Zn,Mn)O films grown at a substrate temperature of 500 °C and with an oxygen partial pressure of 1 mTorr. Ferromagnetism becomes weaker with increasing substrate temperature due to the formation of isolated Mn clusters irrespective of higher crystalline quality of the film.