Researchers finally explain ferromagnetism in Mn-doped GaAs

Researchers at Tohoku University managed to find the origin and the mechanism of ferromagnetism in Mn-doped GaAs. This phenomonon has been puzzling researchers for over 20 years, and this new explanation may help to accelerate the development of spintronic devices made from such materials.

Tohoku Crystal structure of (Ga,Mn)As

Mn-doped GaAs crystals exhibit characteristics and properties of both semiconductor and magnet. It is possible to use an electric field to control the magnetism in such materials - which makes them very appealing candidates for spintronic devices.

The researchers now discovered that the doped Manganese atoms extract electrons from the Arsenic atoms - which leave electron "holes" int he As orbital which causes the ferromagnetism.

Posted: Jun 08,2016 by Ron Mertens