Electric-field controlled ferromagnetism in MnGe magnetic quantum dots

Abstract

Electric-field control of ferromagnetism in magnetic semiconductors at room temperature has been actively pursued as one of the important approaches to realize practical spintronics and non-volatile logic devices. While Mn-doped III-V semiconductors were considered as potential candidates for achieving this controllability, the search for an ideal material with high Curie temperature (T_c>300 K) and controllable ferromagnetism at room temperature has continued for nearly a decade. Among various dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs), materials derived from group IV elements such as Si and Ge are the ideal candidates for such materials due to their excellent compatibility with the conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Here, we review recent reports on the development of high-Curie temperature Mn_0.05Ge_0.95 quantum dots (QDs) and successfully demonstrate electric-field control of ferromagnetism in the Mn_0.05Ge_0.95 quantum dots up to 300 K. Upon the application of gate-bias to a metaloxide- semiconductor (MOS) capacitor, the ferromagnetism of the channel layer (i.e. the Mn_0.05Ge_0.95 quantum dots) was modulated as a function of the hole concentration. Finally, a theoretical model based upon the formation of magnetic polarons has been proposed to explain the observed field controlled ferromagnetism. Keywords: diluted magnetic semiconductors; spintronics; nonvolatile; Mn_0.05Ge_0.95; quantum dots; electric-field controlled ferromagnetism; magnetic polarons (Published: 7 March 2011) Citation: Nano Reviews 2011, 2: 5896 - DOI: 10.3402/nano.v2i0.5896