【Epitaxy Papers】Room-temperature Ferromagnetic Semiconductor Fe-doped β-Ga₂O₃ Thin Films with High Saturation Magnetization and Low Coercivity

      Researchers from the Sichuan University have published a dissertation titled "Room-temperature Ferromagnetic Semiconductor Fe-doped β-Ga₂O₃ Thin Films with High Saturation Magnetization and Low Coercivity" in Nanoscale.

Abstract

      Emergent ferromagnetism in β-Ga₂O₃ with ultra-wide bandwidth and high electrical breakdown strength offers exciting opportunities in fabricating robust spintronic devices. One pertinent obstacle in the material has been the low saturation magnetization, precluding its practical application in magnetic devices. In this work, large-scale Fe-doped β-Ga₂O₃ diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) films are synthesized using polymer-assisted deposition, and the effect of Fe doping on their structural and magnetic properties are investigated. Remarkably, the optimal sample exhibits a high saturation magnetization (70 emu/cm³ at 300 K), much larger than those in previously-reported stable oxide DMS films, as well as a low coercivity (12 Oe at 300 K). Further analysis shows that our samples manifest a typical bound magnetic polaron (BMP) model and the high saturation magnetization originates from the strong ferromagnetic coupling between the BMPs which is enhanced by Ga vacancies. The Fe-doped β-Ga₂O₃ thin films with high saturation magnetization and low coercivity may provide a promising platform for related semiconductor spintronics.

DOI：

https://doi.org/10.1039/D4NR02869D