Materials and Device Design with ZnO-Based Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors

Abstract

We propose a materials design to fabricate the transparent and half-metallic ferromagnets in V-, Cr-, Mn+hole, Fe-, Co-, and Ni-doped ZnO based upon ab initio electronic structure calculation. Mn-doped ZnO is anti-ferromagnetic spin glass state, however, it becomes half-metallic ferromagnets upon hole doping. The ferromagnetic state becomes more stable by electron doping in Fe-, Co- or Ni-doped ZnO. From the point of practical applications, it is feasible to realize the half-metallic ferromagnets with high Curie temperature, because n-type ZnO is easily available. We propose the design of new functional devices, such as spin-FET, photo-induced ferromagnets, and spin-injection devices using negative electron affinity in the wide band gap semiconductors.