Search

Magnetic properties of two-phase granular semiconductor–ferromagnet GaSb–MnSb films obtained by pulsed laser deposition as a function of growth temperature and postgrowth annealing were stu-died.

We observed a temperature-controlled increase in the magnetic anisotropy and its dispersion in thin GaMnSb films with MnSb nanoinclusions obtained by pulsed laser deposition. The data of transmission electron microscopy indicate that in the samples, a transition of the crystalline structure of magnetic MnSb nanoinclusions from hexagonal (spatial group (sp. gr.) P63/mmc) to cubic (sp. gr. F-43m) takes place. Analysis of the temperature dependences of the magnetic moment m(T), measured using a SQUID magnetometer, obtained for both unannealed and annealed samples cooled in a zero magnetic field and a magnetic field of 10 kOe, indicates that this mechanism is not unique. In unannealed samples, the distribution of the magnetic anisotropy of MnSb nanoinclusions, determined from the dependences of m(T), is unimodal. In the annealed samples, the same dependence becomes multimodal. This means that several thermally activated processes occur in the samples during annealing, resulting in several “populations” of nanoinclusions present in the annealed thin films. The contribution to the increase in the magnetic anisotropy during annealing can result in the structural phase transition, the mismatch of the crystal lattices between MnSb and GaSb, an increase in the average volume of MnSb nanoinclusions, and a change in their stoichiometry.

We have studied the properties of relatively thick (about 120 nm) magnetic composite films grown by pulsed laser deposition using the eutectic compound (GaSb)0.59(MnSb)0.41 as target for sputtering. For the studied films we have observed ferromagnetism and an anomalous Hall effect above room temperature, confirming the presence of spin-polarized carriers. Electron microscopy, atomic and magnetic force microscopy results suggest that the films under study have a homogenous columnar structure in the bulk while MnSb inclusions accumulate near the surface. This is in good agreement with the high mobility values of charge carriers. Based on our data we conclude that the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of the films at room temperature are defined by the MnSb inclusions.

Effect of charge carriers concentration on magnetic parameters of the ferromagnetic MnSb nanoclusters as well as opposite effect of cluster magnetization on spin polarization of holes and magnetoresistance were observed in GaSbMn thin films. Microwave magneto-resistance effect is evidence of the charge carriers spin filtering by ferromagnetic clusters.

The influence of the charge carrier concentration on the magnetic properties of GaSb-MnSb alloys is studied. The ferromagnetism of GaSb-MnSb films is caused by the presence of MnSb granules and manifests itself in both magnetometric measurements and the presence of an anisotropic magnetoresistance and the anomalous Hall effect. Electric conduction is executed by charge carriers (holes) in a GaSb matrix. The magnetization of clusters depends on stoichiometry and the concentration of Mn2+ and Mn3+ ions, which is specified by the film growth conditions. At high film growth temperatures, ferromagnetic clusters containing Mn2+ ions mainly form. At low growth temperatures, an antiferromagnetic phase containing Mn3+ ions forms.

Thin films of Mn x Si1−x alloys with different Mn concentration grown by the pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) method onto the Al2O3 (0001) substrate were investigated in the temperature range 4–300 K using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements in the wide range of frequencies and magnetic fields . For samples with , FMR data show clear evidence of ferromagnetism (FM) with high Curie temperatures . These samples demonstrate the complex and unusual character of magnetic anisotropy described in the frame of phenomenological model as a combination of the essential second-order easy-plane anisotropy contribution and the additional fourth-order anisotropy contribution with the easy direction normal to the film plane. We explain the obtained results by a polycrystalline (mosaic) structure of the films caused by the film-substrate lattice mismatch.

We present a comparative study of the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and of the transverse Kerr effect (TKE) in the nonstoichiometric alloys. The data on AHE and TKE are consistent with each other and clearly indicate the intrinsic above room-temperature ferromagnetic order in the studied samples. We argue that this order is not produced by the phase segregation effects, but rather has a global character, while even a small level of the nonstoichiometry in alloys drastically changes their magnetic, electrical, optical and magneto-optical properties as compared to those of the stoichiometric manganese monosilicide MnSi. We propose a qualitative explanation of the obtained experimental results in the frame of the model of defect-induced ferromagnetic order using the first-principles calculations of the electronic and magnetic structure of the system.

The coefficients of ambipolar diffusion of lithium, sodium, nickel, indium, platinum, and lead ions were measured by laser optogalvanic spectroscopy in the upper cone of a luminous gas-air flame at atmospheric pressure in the absence of an electric field in the flame. The coefficients of diffusion and mobility of the singly charged ions of these elements were calculated from the experimental data.