Ferromagnetism in Fe-doped β-Ga2O3 Prepared by a Solid State Reaction

Abstract

ABSTRACTPolycrystalline β-Ga2O3 doped with Fe3+, (Ga1−x Fex)2O3 (x=0.02, 0.05, 0.08 and 0.1), has been prepared by a solid-state reaction. Ferromagnetic ordering is observed at room temperature for samples prepared by β-Ga2O3 and Fe(NO3)3·9H2O and sintered at low temperatures below 900 °C, while the sintering at temperatures above 900 °C leads to the paramagnetic behavior. X-ray diffraction analysis for the samples sintered at 500 °C reveals that the single phase of β-Ga2O3 can be obtained up to x=0.08 without traces of secondary phase or other impurity. Magnetization as a function of temperature shows superparamagnetic or cluster spin-glass behavior, indicating that long-range ferromagnetic ordering does not exist in the present systems. It is suggested that the inhomogeneous distribution of Fe3+ is responsible for the ferromagnetic behavior.