Research Update: Strain and composition effects on ferromagnetism of Mn0.05Ge0.95 quantum dots

Abstract

Mn_0.05Ge_0.95 quantum dots (QDs) samples were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si substrates and 15-nm-thick fully strained Si_0.8Ge_0.2 virtual substrates, respectively. The QDs samples grown on the Si_0.8Ge_0.2 virtual substrates show a significant ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature of 227 K, while the QDs samples grown on the Si substrates are non-ferromagnetic. Microstructures of the QDs samples were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction. Interdependence between microstructure and ferromagnetism of Mn-doped Ge QDs was investigated. For the QDs sample grown on the strained Si_0.8Ge_0.2 virtual substrate, although the ferromagnetic phase Mn₅Ge₃ clusters were found to be formed in small dome-shaped dots, the significant ferromagnetism observed in that sample is attributed to ferromagnetic phase Mn-doped large dome-shaped Ge QDs, rather than to the ferromagnetic phase Mn₅Ge₃ clusters. The fully strained Si_0.8Ge_0.2 virtual substrates would result in a residual strain into the QDs and an increase in Ge composition in the QDs. Both consequences favor the formations of ferromagnetic phase Mn-doped Ge QDs from points of view of quantum confinement effect as well as Mn doping at substitutional sites.