Effect of carbon on structural and magnetic properties of $\hbox {Ge}_{1-x}\hbox {Mn}_{x}$ nanocolumns

Abstract

We have investigated the structural and magnetic properties of $\hbox {Ge}_{0.94}\hbox {Mn}_{0.06-\delta }\hbox {C}_{\delta }$ films $(\delta = 0.005, 0.01\ \hbox {and} 0.02)$ using reflexion high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) technique, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer. All films have been prepared by co-depositing Ge, Mn and C by molecular beam epitaxy. RHEED pattern shows the increase in sample surface roughness when doping carbon into the GeMn films. TEM analyses indicate that adding carbon greatly reduces the surface diffusion of both Ge and Mn elements. Ferromagnetic ordering in samples containing carbon contents of 0.01 and 0.02, persists at temperatures ${>}400\hbox { K}$. An increase in net magnetization is found for carbon-doped samples with increasing carbon content from 0.01 to 0.02. However, we found a decrease in the net magnetization and the Curie temperature of the samples after annealing at 450 and 650°C. The Curie temperature reduces down to about 300 K, which is comparable to the value of the free-carbon sample showing a harmful effect of the post-annealing on the magnetic properties of carbon-doped GeMn nanocolumns.