Structure and magnetic properties of Mn-Fe co-doped ZnO thin films deposited by RF-magnetron sputtering

摘要

Thin films of Mn-Fe co-doped ZnO deposited onto borosilicate glass substrates by rf-magnetron sputtering in argon gas pressure. The as deposited thin films show hexagonal wurtizite structure, without any secondary phases of Mn or Fe in host ZnO within XRD limit. The crystallite (D) of the films decreases with increase in argon working gas pressure. The field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images show dense microstructure with increases in average grain size as a function of argon gas pressure are about ～12 - 44 nm. The elemental composition of the as deposited thin filmswere confirmed by EDS spectra. The room temperature M-H plots show clear signature of ferromagnetic behavior with increase working gas pressure, the magnetic moment (M_s) of as deposited thin films is about 32 to 47 emu/cc as a function of working gas pressure. The increase in ferromagnetism in Mn-Fe co-doped ZnO thin films is due to coupled magnetic moments of multi atoms of Mn/Fe in host ZnO matrix.