Growth of EuTe islands on SnTe by molecular beam epitaxy

Semiconductor magnetic quantum dots are very promising structures, with novel properties that find multiple applications in spintronic devices. EuTe is a wide gap semiconductor with NaCl structure, and strong magnetic moments S=7/2 at the half filled 4f(7) electronic levels. On the other hand, SnTe is a narrow gap semiconductor with the same crystal structure and 4% lattice mismatch with EuTe. In this work, we investigate the molecular beam epitaxial growth of EuTe on SnTe after the critical thickness for island formation is surpassed, as a previous step to the growth of organized magnetic quantum dots. The topology and strain state of EuTe islands were studied as a function of growth temperature and EuTe nominal layer thickness. Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) was used in-situ to monitor surface morphology and strain state. RHEED results were complemented and enriched with atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements made at the XRD2 beamline of the Brazilian Synchrotron. EuTe islands of increasing height and diameter are obtained when the EuTe nominal thickness increases, with higher aspect ratio for the islands grown at lower temperatures. As the islands grow, a relaxation toward the EuTe bulk lattice parameter was observed. The relaxation process was partially reverted by the growth of the SnTe cap layer, vital to protect the EuTe islands from oxidation. A simple model is outlined to describe the distortions caused by the EuTe islands on the SnTe buffer and cap layers. The SnTe cap layers formed interesting plateau structures with easily controlled wall height, that could find applications as a template for future nanostructures growth. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MAGNETIC RESONANT X-RAY DIFFRACTION APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF EuTe FILMS AND MULTILAYERS

In this work we use magnetic resonant x-ray diffraction to study the magnetic properties of a 1.5 mu m EuTe film and an EuTe/PbTe superlattice (SL). The samples were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (111) oriented BaF(2) substrates. The measurements were made at the Eu L(2) absorption edge, taking profit of the resonant enhancement of more than two orders in the magnetically diffracted intensity. At resonance, high counting rates above 11000 cps were obtained for the 1.5 gm EuTe film, allowing to check for the type II antiferromagnetic order of EuTe. An equal population of the three possible in-plane magnetic domains was found. The EuTe/PbTe SL magnetic peak showed a satellite structure, indicating the presence of magnetic correlations among the 5 ML (monolayers) EuTe layers across the 15 ML PbTe non-magnetic spacers. The temperature dependence of the integrated intensities of the film and the SL yielded different Neel temperatures T(N). The lower T(N) for the SL is explained considering the higher influence of the surface atoms, with partial bonds lost.

Compressibility of electron liquid in the quantized Hall phase of GaAs/AlGaAs multi-layers

Magneto-capacitance was studied in narrow miniband GaAs/AlGaAs superlattices where quasi-two dimensional electrons revealed the integer quantum Hall effect. The interwell tunneling was shown to reduce the effect of the quantization of the density of states on the capacitance of the superlattices. In such case the minimum of the capacitance observed at the filling factor nu = 2 was attributed to the decrease of the electron compressibility due to the formation of the incompressible quantized Hall phase. In accord with the theory this phase was found strongly inhomogeneous. The incompressible fraction of the quantized Hall phase was demonstrated to rapidly disappear with the increasing temperature. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic resonance study of a vanadium pentoxide gel

In this work we report results from continuous-wave (CW) and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of the vanadium pentoxide xerogel V2O5:nH(2)O (n approximate to 1.6). The low temperature CW-EPR spectrum shows hyperfine structure due to coupling of unpaired V4+ electron with the vanadium nucleus. The analysis of the spin Hamiltonian parameters suggests that the V4+ ions are located in tetragonally distorted octahedral sites. The transition temperature from the rigid-lattice low-temperature regime to the high temperature liquid-like regime was determined from the analysis of the temperature dependence of the hyperfine splitting and the V4+ motional correlation time. The Electron Spin Echo Envelope Modulation (ESEEM) data shows the signals resulting from the interaction of H-1 nuclei with V4+ ions. The modulation effect was observed only for field values in the center of the EPR absorption spectrum corresponding to the single crystals orientated perpendicular to the magnetic field direction. At least three protons are identified in the xerogel by our magnetic resonance experiments: (I) the OH groups in the equatorial plane, (ii) the bound water molecules in the axial V=O bond and (iii) the free mobile water molecules between the oxide layers. Proton NMR lineshapes and spin-lattice relaxation times were measured in the temperature range between 150 K and 323 K. Our analysis indicates that only a fraction of the xerogel protons contribute to the measured conductivity.

Spin-polarization effects in homogeneous and non-homogeneous diluted magnetic semiconductor heterostructures

Spin polarization is a key characteristic in developing spintronic devices. Diluted magnetic heterostructures (DMH), where subsequent layers of conventional and diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) are alternate, are one of the possible ways to obtain it. Si being the basis of modern electronics, Si or other group-IV DMH can be used to build spintronic devices directly integrated with conventional ones. In this work we study the physical properties and the spin-polarization effects of p-type DMH based in group-IV semiconductors (Si, Ge, SiGe, and SiC), by performing self-consistent (k) over right arrow . (p) over right arrow calculations in the local spin density approximation. We show that high spin polarization can be maintained in these structures below certain values of the carrier concentrations. Full spin polarization is attained in the low carrier concentration regime for carrier concentrations in the DMS layer up to similar to 2.0 x 10(19) cm(-3) for Si and up to similar to 6.0 x 10(19) cm(-3) for SiC. Partial, but still important spin polarization can be achieved for all studied group-IV DMH, with the exception of Ge for carrier concentrations up to 6.0 x 10(19) cm(-3). The role played by the effective masses and the energy splitting of the spin-orbit split-off hole bands is also discussed throughout the paper.

Direct Observation of Tetragonal Distortion in Epitaxial Structures through Secondary Peak Split in a Synchrotron Radiation Renninger Scan

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Finite-momentum condensate of magnetic excitons in a bilayer quantum Hall system

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Magnetic properties of acicular Fe1-xREx (RE = Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb; x=0, 0.05, 0.10) metallic nanoparticles

Acicular monodispersed Fe1-xREx (RE= Nd, Sm,Eu,Tb;x=0, 0.05, 0.10) metallic nanoparticles (60 +/- 5 nm in length and axial ratio similar to6) obtained by reduction of alumina-coated goethite nanoparticles-containing rare earth (RE) under hydrogen flow are reported. Alumina and maghemite thin layers on particle surface were used to protect the goethite particles against sintering and oxidation, respectively. Al and RE additions were obtained by successive heterocoagulation reactions. Aluminum sulfate (10 at.% based on Fe) was dissolved in water and the pH adjusted to 12.5 with NaOH solution. Goethite particles were suspended in this solution and CO2 gas was blown into the slurry to neutralize it to a pH 8.5 or less. Particles were purified and dehydrated to effect transformation to alumina-coated hematite nanoparticles, which were re-suspended in aqueous solution in which RE sulfate (0-0.15 at.% based on Fe) has been dissolved, and the pH increased by ammonia aqueous solution addition. Resulted alumina-coated RE-doped hematite nanoparticles were reduced to metal at 450 degreesC/12 h under hydrogen flow and passivated with nitrogen-containing ethanol vapor at room temperature. Acicular monodispersed metallic nanoparticle systems were obtained and the presence of Al and RE were confirmed by induced-coupled plasma spectrometry analysis. X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and magnetization data are in agreement with the nanosized alpha-Fe core in a bcc structure, having a spinel structure, gammaFe(2)O(3), with thickness similar to1.5 run on particle surface. Main magnetic parameters showed saturation magnetization decreases and significant increasing in the coercive field with the RE composition increases. Magnetic properties of these particles, similar to40% smaller than those commercially available, suggest a decrease in the bit-size for high-density magnetic or magneto-optics recording media application. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Magnetic properties of spindle-type iron fine particles obtained from hematite

Spindle-type iron fine particles have been prepared by reduction of silica-coated-hematite particles. Hydrogen reduction of the coated-hematite cores yielded uniform spindle-type iron particles, which were stabilized by surface oxidation. Narrow particle distributions are observed from TEM measurements. X-ray, Mössbauer and magnetization data are in agreement with the presence of nanosized α-Fe particles, having surface layer of spinel structure oxide. Mössbauer spectra show that the oxide surface is superparamagnetic at room temperature. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiperiodic magnetic structures in Hubbard superlattices

We consider fermions in one-dimensional superlattices (SL's), modeled by site-dependent Hubbard-U couplings arranged in a repeated pattern of repulsive (i.e., U>0) and free (U=0) sites. Density matrix renormalization group diagonalization of finite systems is used to calculate the local moment and the magnetic structure factor in the ground state. We have found four regimes for magnetic behavior: uniform local moments forming a spin-density wave (SDW), floppy local moments with short-ranged correlations, local moments on repulsive sites forming long-period SDW's superimposed with short-ranged correlations, and local moments on repulsive sites solely with long-period SDW's; the boundaries between these regimes depend on the range of electronic densities ρ and on the SL aspect ratio. Above a critical electronic density, ρ↑↓, the SDW period oscillates both with ρ and with the spacer thickness. The former oscillation allows one to reproduce all SDW wave vectors within a small range of electronic densities, unlike the homogeneous system. The latter oscillation is related to the exchange oscillation observed in magnetic multilayers. A crossover between regimes of thin to thick layers has also been observed.

Bending of Layer-by-Layer Films Driven by an External Magnetic Field

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Magnetic non-destructive evaluation of ruptures of tensile armor in oil risers

Risers are flexible multilayered pipes formed by an inner flexible metal structure surrounded by polymer layers and spiral wound steel ligaments, also known as armor wires. Since these risers are used to link subsea pipelines to floating oil and gas production installations, and their failure could produce catastrophic consequences, some methods have been proposed to monitor the armor integrity. However, until now there is no practical method that allows the automatic non-destructive detection of individual armor wire rupture. In this work we show a method using magnetic Barkhausen noise that has shown high efficiency in the detection of armor wire rupture. The results are examined under the cyclic and static load conditions of the riser. This work also analyzes the theory behind the singular dependence of the magnetic Barkhausen noise on the applied tension in riser armor wires.

Structural, morphological, and magnetic characterization of In1-xMnxAs quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy

In this paper, we present a method to order low temperature (LT) self-assembled ferromagnetic In1-xMnxAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The ordered In1-xMnxAs QDs were grown on top of a non-magnetic In0.4Ga0.6As/GaAs(100) QDs multi-layered structure. The modulation of the chemical potential, due to the stacking, provides a nucleation center for the LT In1-xMnxAs QDs. For particular conditions, such as surface morphology and growth conditions, the In1-xMnxAs QDs align along lines like chains. This work also reports the characterization of QDs grown on plain GaAs(100) substrates, as well as of the ordered structures, as function of Mn content and growth temperature. The substitutional Mn incorporation in the InAs lattice and the conditions for obtaining coherent and incoherent structures are discussed from comparison between Raman spectroscopy and x-ray analysis. Ferromagnetic behavior was observed for all structures at 2K. We found that the magnetic moment axis changes from [110] in In1-xMnxAs over GaAs to [1-10] for the ordered In1-xMnxAs grown over GaAs template. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4745904]

Spin-polarized transport in II-VI diluted magnetic semiconductors superlattices

We studied the spin-polarized charge densities in II-VI-based diluted magnetic superlattices formed of p-doped ZnTe:Mg/ZnTe:TM/ZnTe:Mg non-magnetic/magnetic/non-magnetic layers, with TM standing for transition metal. The calculations were performed within a self-consistent k.p method, in which are also taken into account the exchange correlation effects in the local density approximation. Our results show a limit for the width of the non-magnetic layer for which the difference between the opposite spin charge densities is maximized, indicating the best conditions to obtain full polarization by varying the TM content. We also discuss these effects in the calculated photoluminescence spectra. Our findings point to the possibility of engineering the spin-polarized charge distribution by varying the widths of the magnetic and non-magnetic layers and/or varying the TM concentration in the magnetic layers, thus providing a guide for future experiments. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic field induced charge redistribution in artificially disordered quantum Hall superlattices

The photoluminescence from individual quantum wells of artificially disordered weakly coupled multi-layers embedded in wide AlGaAs parabolic wells was investigated in a strong magnetic field. We show that the response of the individual wells is very different from the average response of the multi-layers studied by transport measurements and that photoluminescence represents a local probe of the quantum Hall state formed in three-dimensional electron system. The observed magnetic field induced variations of the in-layer electron density demonstrate the formation of a new phase in the quasi-three-dimensional electron system. The sudden change in the local electron density found at the Landau filling factor nu = 1 by both the magneto-transport and the magneto-photoluminescence measurements was assigned to the quantum phase transition. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2012