Magnetic Semiconductors from Ferromagnetic Amorphous Alloys

Abstract

Utilizing both charge and spin degrees of freedom of electrons simultaneously in magnetic semiconductors promises new device concepts by creating an opportunity to realize data processing, transportation and storage in one single spintronic device. Unlike most of the traditional diluted magnetic semiconductors, which obtain intrinsic ferromagnetism by adding magnetic elements to non-magnetic semiconductors, we attempt to develop room temperature magnetic semiconductors via a metal-semiconductor transition by introducing oxygen into three different ferromagnetic amorphous alloy systems. These magnetic semiconductors show different conduction types determined primarily by the compositions of the selected amorphous ferromagnetic alloy systems. These findings may pave a new way to realize magnetic semiconductor-based spintronic devices that work at room temperature.