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T. Andrearczyk

Publications and source records attributed to T. Andrearczyk.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

On the origin of magnetism in (Ga,Mn)As: from paramagnetic through superparamagnetic to ferromagnetic phase

The high-spectral-resolution spectroscopic studies of the energy gap evolution, supplemented with electronic, magnetic and structural characterization, show that the modification of the GaAs valence band caused by Mn incorporation occurs already for a very low Mn content, much lower than that required to support ferromagnetic spin - spin coupling in (Ga,Mn)As. Only for n-type (Ga,Mn)As with the Mn content below about 0.3% the Mn-related extended states are visible as a feature detached from the valence-band edge and partly occupied with electrons. The combined magnetic and low-temperature photoreflectance studies presented here indicate that the paramagnetic - ferromagnetic transformation in p-type (Ga,Mn)As takes place without imposing changes of the unitary character of the valence band with the Fermi level located therein. The whole process is rooted in the nanoscale fluctuations of the local (hole) density of states and the formation of a superparamagnetic-like state. The Fermi level in (Ga,Mn)As is coarsened by the carrier concentration of the itinerant valence band holes and further fine-tuned by the many-body interactions.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Novel Quaternary Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As): Magnetic and Magneto-Transport Investigations

Magnetic and magneto-transport properties of thin layers of the (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) quaternary dilute magnetic semiconductor grown by the low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy technique on GaAs substrates have been investigated. Ferromagnetic Curie temperature and magneto-crystalline anisotropy of the layers have been examined by using magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometry and low-temperature magneto-transport measurements. Postgrowth annealing treatment has been shown to enhance the hole concentration and Curie temperature in the layers. Significant increase in the magnitude of magnetotransport effects caused by incorporation of a small amount of Bi into the (Ga,Mn)As layers revealed in the planar Hall effect (PHE) measurements, is interpreted as a result of enhanced spin-orbit coupling in the (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) layers. Two-state behaviour of the planar Hall resistance at zero magnetic field provides its usefulness for applications in nonvolatile memory devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Effect of Misfit Strain in (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) Epitaxial Layers on their Magnetic and Magneto-Transport Properties

Effect of misfit strain in the layers of (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) quaternary diluted magnetic semiconductor, epitaxially grown on either GaAs substrate or (In,Ga)As buffer, on their magnetic and magneto-transport properties has been investigated. High-resolution X-ray diffraction, applied to characterize the structural quality and misfit strain in the layers, proved that the layers were fully strained to the GaAs substrate or (In,Ga)As buffer under compressive or tensile strain, respectively. Ferromagnetic Curie temperature and magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the layers have been examined by using magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometry and low-temperature magneto-transport measurements. Post-growth annealing treatment of the layers has been shown to enhance the hole concentration and Curie temperature in the layers.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Magnetic and magneto-transport characterization of (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) epitaxial layers

High-quality layers of the (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) quaternary compound semiconductor have been grown by the low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy technique. An effect of Bi incorporation into the (Ga,Mn)As ferromagnetic semiconductor and the post-growth annealing treatment of the layers have been investigated through examination of their magnetic and magneto-transport properties. Significant enhancement of the planar Hall effect magnitude upon addition of Bi into the layers is interpreted as a result of increased spin-orbit coupling in the (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) layers.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Experimental determination of Rashba spin-orbit coupling in wurtzite $n$-GaN:Si

Millikelvin magnetotransport studies are carried out on heavily $n$-doped wurtzite GaN:Si films grown on semi-insulating GaN:Mn buffer layers by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. The dependency of the conductivity on magnetic field and temperature is interpreted in terms of theories that take into account disorder-induced quantum interference of one-electron and many-electron self-crossing trajectories. The Rashba parameter $α_{\text{R}}\,=\,(4.5 \pm 1)$ meV$Å$ is determined, and it is shown that in the previous studies of electrons adjacent to GaN/(Al,Ga)N interfaces, bulk inversion asymmetry was dominant over structural inversion asymmetry. The comparison of experimental and theoretical values of $α_{\text{R}}$ across a series of wurtzite semiconductors is presented as a test of current relativistic ab initio computation schemes. It is found that electron-electron scattering with small energy transfer accounts for low temperature decoherence in these systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Analysis of the $E_{1}$ and $E_{1}$ +$Δ_{1}$ optical transitions in (Ga,Mn)As epitaxial layers

The diluted (Ga,Mn)As became a model ferromagnetic semiconductor, however there is still a disagreement on the source of its magnetism. The divergences arise from the results indicating that the holes mediated ferromagnetism reside in the valence band or the impurity band. Full understanding of character of the Mn states in GaAs can bring the increase of (Ga,Mn)As Curie temperature. In this paper we verify the ellipsometric results and compare with more precise photoreflectance method which gives a new insight into the interactions of Mn impurity states with GaAs valence band. Indeed, $E_{1}$ and $E_{1}$+$Δ_{1}$ inter-band transition energies for highly doped and annealed (Ga,Mn)As epitaxial layers have not confirmed the interaction between detached Mn impurity band and the valence band. Thus, the description with merged Mn states and GaAs valence band is in agreement with our results. Our findings are supported by the high resolution transmission microscopy and magnetization measurements.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Electronic- and band-structure evolution in low-doped (Ga,Mn)As

Modulation photoreflectance spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy have been applied to study the electronic- and band-structure evolution in (Ga,Mn)As epitaxial layers with increasing Mn doping in the range of low Mn content, up to 1.2%. Structural and magnetic properties of the layers were characterized with high-resolution X-ray diffractometry and SQUID magnetometery, respectively. The revealed results of decrease in the band-gap transition energy with increasing Mn content in very low-doped (Ga,Mn)As layers with n-type conductivity are interpreted as a result of merging the Mn-related impurity band with the host GaAs valence band. On the other hand, an increase in the band-gap-transition energy with increasing Mn content in (Ga,Mn)As layers with higher Mn content and p-type conductivity indicates the Moss-Burstein shift of the absorption edge due to the Fermi level location within the valence band, determined by the free-hole concentration. The experimental results are consistent with the valence-band origin of mobile holes mediated ferromagnetic ordering in the (Ga,Mn)As diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Effect of low-temperature annealing on the electronic- and band-structure of (Ga,Mn)As epitaxial layers

The effect of outdiffusion of Mn interstitials from (Ga,Mn)As epitaxial layers, caused by post-growth low-temperature annealing, on their electronic- and band-structure properties has been investigated by modulation photoreflectance (PR) spectroscopy. The annealing-induced changes in structural and magnetic properties of the layers were examined with high-resolution X-ray diffractometry and SQUID magnetometery, respectively. They confirmed an outdiffusion of Mn interstitials from the layers and an enhancement in their hole concentration, which were more efficient for the layer covered with a Sb cap acting as a sink for diffusing Mn interstitials. The PR results revealing a decrease in the band-gap-transition energy in the as-grown (Ga,Mn)As layers, with respect to that in the reference GaAs one, are interpreted by assuming a merging of the Mn-related impurity band with the host GaAs valence band. On the other hand, an increase in the band-gap-transition energy in the annealed (Ga,Mn)As layers is interpreted as a result of the Moss-Burstein shift of the absorption edge due to the Fermi level location within the valence band, determined by the enhanced free-hole concentration. The experimental results are consistent with the valence-band origin of mobile holes mediating ferromagnetic ordering in (Ga,Mn)As, in agreement with the Zener model for ferromagnetic semiconductors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Photoreflectance Study of the Fundamental Optical Properties of (Ga,Mn)As Epitaxial Films

Fundamental optical properties of thin films of (Ga,Mn)As diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor with a low (1%) and high (6%) Mn content and of a reference GaAs film, grown by low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy, have been investigated by photoreflectance (PR) spectroscopy. In addition, the films were subjected to complementary characterization by means of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry, Raman spectroscopy, and high resolution X-ray diffractometry. Thorough full-line-shape analysis of the PR spectra, which enabled determination of the E0 electronic transition in (Ga,Mn)As, revealed significant differences between the energy band structures in vicinity of the Γ point of the Brillouin zone for the two (Ga,Mn)As films. In view of the obtained experimental results the evolution of the valence band structure in (Ga,Mn)As with increasing Mn content is discussed, pointing to a merging the Mn-related impurity band with the host GaAs valence band for high Mn content.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Quantum Hall states under conditions of vanishing Zeeman energy

We report on magneto-transport measurements of a two-dimensional electron gas confined in a Cd$_{0.997}$Mn$_{0.003}$Te quantum well structure under conditions of vanishing Zeeman energy. The electron Zeeman energy has been tuned via the $s-d$ exchange interaction in order to probe different quantum Hall states associated with metallic and insulating phases. We have observed that reducing Zeeman energy to zero does not necessary imply the disappearing of quantum Hall states, i.e. a closing of the spin gap. The spin gap value under vanishing Zeeman energy conditions is shown to be dependent on the filling factor. Numerical simulations support a qualitative description of the experimental data presented in terms of a crossing or an avoided-crossing of spin split Landau levels with same orbital quantum number $N$.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Origin of ferromagnetism in (Zn,Co)O from magnetization and spin-dependent magnetoresistance

In order to elucidate the nature of ferromagnetic signatures observed in (Zn,Co)O we have examined experimentally and theoretically magnetic properties and spin-dependent quantum localization effects that control low-temperature magnetoresistance. Our findings, together with a through structural characterization, substantiate the model assigning spontaneous magnetization of (Zn,Co)O to uncompensated spins at the surface of antiferromagnetic nanocrystal of Co-rich wurtzite (Zn,Co)O. The model explains a large anisotropy observed in both magnetization and magnetoresistance in terms of spin hamiltonian of Co ions in the crystal field of the wurtzite lattice.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

An Intermediate Phase at the Metal-Insulator Boundary in a Magnetically Doped Two-Dimensional Electron System

A magnetotransport study in magnetically doped (Cd,Mn)Te 2D quantum wells reveals an apparent metal-insulator transition as well as an anomalous intermediate phase just on its metallic side. This phase is characterized by colossal magnetoresistance-like phenomena, which are assigned to the phase separation of the electron fluid and the associated emergence of ferromagnetic bubbles.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Spin-related magnetoresistance of n-type ZnO:Al and Zn_{1-x}Mn_{x}O:Al thin films

Effects of spin-orbit coupling and s-d exchange interaction are probed by magnetoresistance measurements carried out down to 50 mK on ZnO and Zn_{1-x}Mn_{x}O with x = 3 and 7%. The films were obtained by laser ablation and doped with Al to electron concentration ~10^{20} cm^{-3}. A quantitative description of the data for ZnO:Al in terms of weak-localization theory makes it possible to determine the coupling constant λ_{so} = (4.4 +- 0.4)*10^{-11} eVcm of the kp hamiltonian for the wurzite structure, H_{so} = λ_{so}*c(s x k). A complex and large magnetoresistance of Zn_{1-x}Mn_{x}O:Al is interpreted in terms of the influence of the s-d spin-splitting and magnetic polaron formation on the disorder-modified electron-electron interactions. It is suggested that the proposed model explains the origin of magnetoresistance observed recently in many magnetic oxide systems.

cond-mat.dis-nn

Ising Quantum Hall Ferromagnet in Magnetically Doped Quantum Wells

We report on the observation of the Ising quantum Hall ferromagnet with Curie temperature $T_C$ as high as 2 K in a modulation-doped (Cd,Mn)Te heterostructure. In this system field-induced crossing of Landau levels occurs due to the giant spin-splitting effect. Magnetoresistance data, collected over a wide range of temperatures, magnetic fields, tilt angles, and electron densities, are discussed taking into account both Coulomb electron-electron interactions and s$-$d coupling to Mn spin fluctuations. The critical behavior of the resistance ``spikes'' at $T \to T_C$ corroborates theoretical suggestions that the ferromagnet is destroyed by domain excitations.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Effects of Spin Polarization on Electron Transport in Modulation Doped Cd(1-x)Mn(x)Te/Cd(1-y)Mg(y)Te:I Heterostructures

We examine and identify magnetoresistance mechanisms in 2D system containing a sizable concentration of magnetic ions. We argue that some of these mechanisms can serve as a tool to measure spin polarization. Lack of spin degeneracy and enhanced localization make it possible to detect an additional QHE plateau associated with extended states floating-up in vanishing magnetic field.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Carrier-induced ferromagnetism in p-Zn1-xMnxTe

We present a systematic study of the ferromagnetic transition induced by the holes in nitrogen doped Zn1-xMnxTe epitaxial layers, with particular emphasis on the values of the Curie-Weiss temperature as a function of the carrier and spin concentrations. The data are obtained from thorough analyses of the results of magnetization, magnetoresistance and spin-dependent Hall effect measurements. The experimental findings compare favorably, without adjustable parameters, with the prediction of the Rudermann-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) model or its continuous-medium limit, that is, the Zener model, provided that the presence of the competing antiferromagnetic spin-spin superexchange interaction is taken into account, and the complex structure of the valence band is properly incorporated into the calculation of the spin susceptibility of the hole liquid. In general terms, the findings demonstrate how the interplay between the ferromagnetic RKKY interaction, carrier localization, and intrinsic antiferromagnetic superexchange affects the ordering temperature and the saturation value of magnetization in magnetically and electrostatically disordered systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci