Magneto-optical and magnetotransport properties of amorphous ferromagnetic semiconductor Ge 1 − x Mn x thin films

• Published in: Applied physics letters 2008-11, Vol.93 (19), p.193108-193108-3
• Main Authors: Yada, Shinsuke, Sugahara, Satoshi, Tanaka, Masaaki
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.3023070

The authors investigate the magnetooptical and magnetotransport properties of Mn-doped amorphous Ge ( a - Ge 1 − x Mn x ) thin films deposited on thermally oxidized Si substrates. Magnetic circular dichroism measurements reveal that their ferromagnetic ordering appears for x > 0.02 and the films show magnetically homogeneous behavior. The resistivity of the films decreases with increasing x , and the temperature dependence of the resistivity shows semiconductor-like behavior. The anomalous Hall effect of the a - Ge 1 − x Mn x films also exhibits ferromagnetic behavior. The temperature dependence of magnetization is consistent with that of the magnetooptical and magnetotransport results. These results indicate that the a - Ge 1 − x Mn x films behave as a ferromagnetic semiconductor.