Epitaxial integration of the highly spin-polarized ferromagnetic semiconductor EuO with silicon and GaN

Nat Mater. 2007 Nov;6(11):882-7. doi: 10.1038/nmat2012. Epub 2007 Sep 16.

Abstract

Doped EuO is an attractive material for the fabrication of proof-of-concept spintronic devices. Yet for decades its use has been hindered by its instability in air and the difficulty of preparing and patterning high-quality thin films. Here, we establish EuO as the pre-eminent material for the direct integration of a carrier-concentration-matched half-metal with the long-spin-lifetime semiconductors silicon and GaN, using methods that transcend these difficulties. Andreev reflection measurements reveal that the spin polarization in doped epitaxial EuO films exceeds 90%, demonstrating that EuO is a half-metal even when highly doped. Furthermore, EuO is epitaxially integrated with silicon and GaN. These results demonstrate the high potential of EuO for spintronic devices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Europium / chemistry*
  • Gallium / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Oxides / chemistry*
  • Semiconductors
  • Silicon / chemistry*

Substances

  • Oxides
  • gallium nitride
  • Europium
  • Gallium
  • Silicon