GaMnN thin films were synthesized using gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy. Mn concentrations between 3 and 12 at. % were investigated. No evidence of second-phase formation was observed by powder x-ray diffraction or high-resolution cross section transmission electron microscopy in films with 9% or less Mn. The films were n type as determined by capacitance–voltage or Hall analysis. Magnetic characterization performed using a squid magnetometer showed evidence of ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature for all samples. In agreement with theoretical predictions, material with 3% Mn showed the highest degree of ordering per Mn atom. At 320 K, the samples show a nonzero magnetization indicating a TC above room temperature.

Recent results on achieving ferromagnetism in transition-metal-doped GaN, AlN and related materials are discussed. The field of semiconductor spintronics seeks to exploit the spin of charge carriers in new generations of transistors, lasers and integrated magnetic sensors. There is strong potential for new classes of ultra-low-power, high speed memory, logic and photonic devices based on spintronics. The utility of such devices depends on the availability of materials with practical magnetic ordering temperatures and most theories predict that the Curie temperature will be a strong function of bandgap. We discuss the current state-of-the-art in producing room temperature ferromagnetism in GaN-based materials, the origins of the magnetism and its potential applications.

ZnO nanorods with diameters of 15-30 nm were grown on Ag-coated Si substrates by catalyst-driven molecular beam epitaxy and then implanted with Mn ϩ or Co ϩ ions to doses of 1 -5ϫ10 16 cm Ϫ2 . After subsequent annealing at 700°C for 5 min, the structural properties of the nanorods were unaffected, but they exhibited ferromagnetism that persisted to temperatures of 225-300 K. The coercive fields were р100 Oe even at 10 K. The results are similar to those obtained for implantation of Mn ϩ or Co ϩ ions in bulk single-crystal ZnO and indicate promise for nanorods for nanoscale spintronic applications.

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AlN films grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy were doped with different levels of Mn during growth. High resolution x-ray diffraction characterization revealed good crystallinity in single phase material, with lattice constant decreasing with increasing Mn concentration. Single phase AlMnN was found to be p type while AlMnN/AlMn mixed phase material was found to be highly conductive n type. Magnetization measurements performed with a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer indicated ferromagnetism in single phase material persisting to 300 K and showed no evidence of room temperature magnetization in multiphase material. In particular, it was shown that Mn4N second phases are not contributing to the magnetization in the AlMnN under optimized growth conditions.

Structural and magnetic properties of (Ga,Mn)N layers grown on SiC by reactive molecular beam epitaxy

Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) is a well-known thermoelectric material that has a layered crystal structure. Exfoliating Bi2Te3 to produce two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets is extremely important because the exfoliated nanosheets possess unique properties, which can potentially revolutionize several material technologies such as thermoelectrics, heterogeneous catalysts, and infrared detectors. In this work, ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl) is used to exfoliate Bi2Te3 nanoplatelets. In both experiments and in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the Bi2Te3 nanoplatelets yield a stable dispersion of 2D nanosheets in the IL solvent, and our MD simulations provide molecular-level insight into the kinetics and thermodynamics of the exfoliation process. An analysis of the dynamics of Bi2Te3 during exfoliation indicates that the relative translation (sliding apart) of adjacent layers caused by IL-induced forces plays an important role in the process. Moreover, an evaluation of the MD trajectories and electrostatic interactions indicates that the [C4mim](+) cation is primarily responsible for initiating Bi2Te3 layer sliding and separation, while the Cl(-) anion is less active. Overall, our combined experimental and computational investigation highlights the effectiveness of IL-assisted exfoliation, and the underlying molecular-level insights should accelerate the development of future exfoliation techniques for producing 2D chalcogenide materials.

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