Effect of oxygen pressure on the structural and magnetic properties of thin Zn_0.98Mn_0.02O films

¹ Centro de Física, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
² Institut Néel, CNRS, Université J. Fourier, BP 166, 38042 Grenoble, France
³ Physics Department and I3N, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
⁴ LPS, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, BP 1796, Fès, Morocco
⁵ Physics Department, FST Tanger, BP 416 Ziaten, Tanger, Morocco

^a e-mail: chahboun@fisica.uminho.pt

Received: 27 September 2011
Accepted: 26 October 2011
Published online: 2 December 2011

Abstract

Thin Zn_0.98Mn_0.02O films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on glass substrates under oxygen pressure. The structural properties were studied by X-ray diffraction and Raman techniques, while the conductivity was characterized by the Hall effect. The oxygen pressure during the growth seems to govern the structural and the electrical properties of the thin Zn_0.98Mn_0.02 films. In fact, the micron size grain and the resistivity of the Zn_0.98Mn_0.02O increase with the partial oxygen pressure. However, no evident effect was observed on the magnetic behavior. Electronic structure calculations were performed and magnetic moment carried by Mn atom was computed as well.