| The field of spin transport electronics (spintronics) is a viable candidate for advancing computing and communication technologies. Material with both semiconductor and magnetic properties, which is commonly called a dilute magnetic semiconductor (DMS), will prove most useful in the fabrication of spintronic devices. In order to produce a DMS at above room temperature, transition metals (TMs) were implanted into host semiconductors of p-GaN, Al0.35Ga0.65N, or ZnO. Magnetic hysteresis measurements using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer show that some of the material combinations clearly exhibit ferromagnetism above room temperature.; The most promising materials for creating spintronic devices using ion implantation are p-GaN:Mn, Al0.35Ga0.65N:Cr, and Fe-implanted ZnO nanotips on Al2O3. Temperature-dependent magnetization measurements confirm that indications of ferromagnetism are due to DMS behavior. Photo- and cathodoluminescence measurements show that implantation damage is recovered and the implanted TMs are incorporated into the semiconductor.; As progress is made toward realizing practical spintronic devices, the work reported here will be useful for determining material combinations and implantation conditions that will yield the needed materials. |
