The electronic properties of lanthanide (from Eu to Tm) impurities inwurtzite gallium nitride and zinc oxide were investigated by first principlescalculations, using an all electron methodology plus a Hubbard potentialcorrection. The results indicated that the 4f-related energy levels remainoutside the bandgap in both materials, in good agreement with a recentphenomenological model, based on experimental data. Additionally, zinc oxidedoped with lanthanide impurities became an n-type material, showing a couplingbetween the 4f-related spin polarized states and the carriers. This couplingmay generate spin polarized currents, which could lead to applications inspintronic devices.
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