New Diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor Li(Zn,Mn)P with decoupled charge and spin doping

摘要

We report the discovery of a new diluted magnetic semiconductor, Li(Zn,Mn)P,in which charge and spin are introduced independently via lithiumoff-stoichiometry and the isovalent substitution of Mn2+ for Zn2+,respectively. Isostructural to (Ga,Mn)As, Li(Zn,Mn)P was found to be a p-typeferromagnetic semiconductor with excess Lithium providing charge doping. Firstprinciples calculations indicate that excess Li is favored to partially occupythe Zn site, leading to hole doping. Ferromagnetism is mediated insemiconducting samples of relative low mobile carriers with a small coerciveforce, indicating an easy spin flip.