Room-temperature ferromagnetic MnGa nanoparticles in dilute magnetic semiconductor (Ga, Mn)As thin film: preparation and characterization.

Abstract

The diluted magnetic semiconductor, (Ga, Mn) As, with the unique advantage of manipulating the spin and charge was widely investigated in the scientific community and considered as a potential material for the spintronic devices. However, its Curie temperature (Tc), which is limited to around 200 K, hinders the research progress of diluted magnetic semiconductors for potential device applications. Herein, we propose an approach to prepare the MnGa nanoparticles embedded in (Ga, Mn)As matrix using the magnetron sputtering deposition of Mn on GaAs surface, followed by the nano-second pulsed laser annealing, which gives a Tc above 400 K. We demonstrate that the MnGa nanoparticles are only formed in (Ga, Mn)As during the nano-second pulsed laser annealing under a critical range of energy density (0.4-0.5 J/cm2). This method for preparing the hybrid system of ferromagnetic metal/dilute magnetic semiconductor builds a platform for exploring the interesting spin transport phenomenon and is promising for the application of spintronic devices. .