Magnetic properties of Gd-doped GaN

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the magnetic properties of Gd-doped GaN. This diluted magnetic semiconductor shows hysteretic magnetization behavior at room temperature, which is attributed to ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature well above 300K. However, the experimental results regarding the magnetic properties are not completely consistent and the microscopic origin for the reported magnetic properties is still unclear. We discuss the role of the growth method of the GaN comparing molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) including GaN doped during the growth process with Gd as well as Gd-implanted material. It seems that in general it is easier to obtain hysteretic magnetization behavior for MBE-grown material probably due to the higher oxygen and lower hydrogen content. An exception is Gd-implanted GaN MBE-grown on Si(111) where we observe no ferromagnetism. We will present experiments where by oxygen implantation and annealing the impurity concentration was manipulated. The role of native defects is addressed and new experiments where additional defects have been introduced by nitrogen implantation in MBE-grown GaN:Gd are discussed. We present our results on anomalous Hall effect observed in a Gd-implanted GaN/AlGaN heterostructure.