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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
The wide band gap semiconductor ZnO is well known for its multifunctionality in the form of ferromagnetism (FM), piezoelectricity, and magneto optics. ZnO has been found to grow with intrinsic oxygen deficiencies which in turn are believed to give ferromagnetism and high conductivity in this material. Doping Zn2+ sites by V5+ ions creates a mixed valency as well as strain in the original ZnO hexagonal structure because of the reduced ionic size of vanadium. The mixed valency creates charge polarity between Zn-O and V-O bonds. This charge polarity and the rotation of the nonlinear V-O bonds with respect to Zn-O bonds under electric field have been shown to produce ferroelectricity. Furthermore, Mn doping of ZnO has also shown enhancement in ferromagnetic properties in ZnO. For this material to be a viable ferromagnetic material the magnetic properties should not be from segregated phases. In the present study we have grown undoped, Mn, and V doped ZnO thin films using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). ZnO target with 2% atomic Mn doping and a target with 0.5% atomic V doping were prepared by solid state reactions and sintering. Films were grown both epitaxially on sapphire substrates and in polycrystalline form on silicon substrates. Magnetization measurements by the PPMS showed M vs. H hysteresis loops with saturation for all ZnO: Mn films. V doped films showed high saturation polarization for film deposited at high pressures. We have also fabricated epitaxial bilayers of ZnO:V/ZnO:Mn on sapphire substrates. Ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties of these heterostructures are presented.