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Tunable rectification and magnetoresistance behaviors of ferromagnetic pn diode based on (Fe, Al)-doped SiGe with enhanced room-temperature magnetization

基于室温铁磁性的(Fe, Al)共掺杂SiGe铁磁pn二极管 的可调整流和磁阻特性

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Abstract

Group-IV diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) have attracted rising attention owing to their exceptional magnetic and electrical properties and promising potential for application in spintronic devices compatible with current mainstream semiconductor integration technology. Indeed, group-IV DMSs with room-temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) and devices derived from them are more expected for practical applications. In this work, p-type (Fe, Al)-doped SiGe thin films and pn diodes based on the p-type SiGe films and n-type Ge substrates are designed and fabricated. Magnetization characterizations, as well as magnetoresistance (MR) and anomalous Hall effect measurements, reveal RTFM in the p-type (Fe, Al)-doped SiGe thin films, in which the hole-mediated spontaneous magnetization primarily originating from Fe dopants is enhanced by holes provided by Al dopants. Interestingly, the ferromagnetic pn heterostructure exhibits magnetic field-tunable rectification and MR behaviors, especially at low temperatures, owing to the Zeeman splitting difference in the ferromagnetic p-SiGe and nonmagnetic n-Ge layers under applied magnetic fields. Our results provide an alternative strategy for fabricating group-IV DMSs with RTFM and a paradigm for practical spintronic application of group-IV DMSs.

摘要

IV族稀磁半导体因其优异的磁电性能, 以及在与当前主流半导 体集成技术兼容的自旋电子器件中具有广阔的应用前景而受到越来越 多的关注. 事实上, 具有室温铁磁性的IV族稀磁半导体及其衍生器件更 有望在实际中得以应用. 本工作设计并制备了基于p型(Fe, Al)共掺杂 SiGe薄膜和n型Ge衬底的磁性pn二极管. 磁性测量以及磁阻和反常霍 尔效应测试揭示了p型(Fe, Al)共掺杂SiGe薄膜的室温铁磁性. 有趣的 是, 磁性pn异质结表现出磁场可调的整流和磁阻行为. 我们的研究结 果为制备具有室温铁磁性的IV族稀磁半导体提供了一种可选策略, 并 为IV族稀磁半导体的实际自旋电子应用提供了范例.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFA1405100) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52172272). We thank the Analytical & Testing Center of Sichuan University for the SEM, XRD, and XPS measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China

    Jiafei Li  (李加飞), Xi Zhang  (张析) & Gang Xiang  (向钢)

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  1. Jiafei Li  (李加飞)
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  2. Xi Zhang  (张析)
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  3. Gang Xiang  (向钢)
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Contributions

Author contributions Li J fabricated the samples and performed the experiments; Zhang X provided the resources and supervised the project; Xiang G designed and supervised the project and provided resources. Li J, Zhang X and Xiang G wrote the paper. All authors contributed to general discussion.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gang Xiang  (向钢).

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Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Jiafei Li is a PhD student of Sichuan University under the supervision of Prof. Gang Xiang. His current research interests focus on the preparation, structural and magnetic properties of group-IV DMSs, and the fabrication and properties of their spintronic devices.

Gang Xiang earned his PhD degree in condensed matter physics from Pennsylvania State University-University Park in 2006. Then he worked at Pennsylvania State University-University Park (2006–2007) and also at Ohio State University-Columbus (2007–2010) as a postdoctoral researcher. He joined Sichuan University in 2010. His research interests include the design and fabrication of magnetic materials including diluted magnetic semiconductors and transition metal chalcogenides, and their spintronic and electronic applications.

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Li, J., Zhang, X. & Xiang, G. Tunable rectification and magnetoresistance behaviors of ferromagnetic pn diode based on (Fe, Al)-doped SiGe with enhanced room-temperature magnetization. Sci. China Mater. 67, 573–579 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-023-2697-x

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