Ferromagnetism in amorphous Ge1−xMnx grown by low temperature vapor deposition

Magnetic properties of amorphous Ge1−xMnx thin films were investigated. The thin films were grown at 373 K on (100) Si wafers by using a thermal evaporator. Growth rate was ∼35 nm/min and average film thickness was around 500 nm. The electrical resistivities of Ge1−xMnx thin films are 5.0×10−4∼100 Ω cm at room temperature and decrease with increasing Mn concentration. Low temperature magnetization characteristics and magnetic hysteresis loops measured at various temperatures show that the amorphous Ge1−xMnx thin films are ferromagnetic but the ferromagnetic magnetizations are changing gradually into paramagnetic as increasing temperature. Curie temperature and saturation magnetization vary with Mn concentration. Curie temperature of the deposited films is 80–160 K, and saturation magnetization is 35–100 emu/cc at 5 K. Hall effect measurement at room temperature shows the amorphous Ge1−xMnx thin films have p-type carrier and hole densities are in the range from 7×1017 to 2×1022 cm−3.