Correlation between saturation magnetization and surface morphological features in Zn1-x Crx O thin films

Abstract

The effect of chromium doping on the defect-induced ferromagnetism of Zn1-x Crx O films was investigated in this study. X-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron results confirm Cr substitution at Zn sites in the ZnO host lattice. A parabolic dependence of the saturation magnetization on the stoichiometric variable x was observed. Photoluminescence and magnetic results indicate that magnetic moments in Zn1-x Crx O films stem from Zn vacancies on the film surface or at grain boundaries. As the variation in saturation magnetization is consistent with that in surface morphology, the ferromagnetism in Zn1-x Crx O films is sensitive to the morphological modification caused by Cr doping. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.