Structure and magnetism of V-doped SnO₂ thin films: effect of the substrate

Authors

Jun Zhang, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Ralph Skomski, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Lanping Yue, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Yongfeng Lu, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
David J. Sellmyer, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

6-5-2007

Comments

Published in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 19 (2007), 256204 (6 pp); doi:10.1088/0953- 8984/19/25/256204 Copyright © 2007 IOP Publishing Ltd. Used by permission. Online at http://stacks.iop.org/JPhysCM/19/256204

Abstract

We report on the structure and magnetism of V-doped SnO₂ thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition. The structure and magnetic properties of the films strongly depend on the substrates on which the films are grown. Films grown on Al₂O₃ substrates are single crystalline and show anisotropic in-plane magnetic moments, while films grown on Si substrates are nanocrystalline and show no anisotropy. Compared with that of single-crystalline films, the magnetic moment of nanocrystalline films is higher at low V concentration, decreases more quickly as the V concentration increases, and is more sensitive to vacuum annealing. Our results suggest important roles for spin–orbit coupling and defects in the magnetism of diluted magnetic oxides.