Ferromagnetic and structural properties of Ge1-xMnxTe epitaxial layers

Magnetic properties of thin layers of p-Ge1–xMnxTe (x < 0.2) semimagnetic (diluted magnetic) semiconductor exhibiting carrier induced ferromagnetism were experimentally studied. The layers were grown on BaF2 (111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy technique. X-ray diffraction analysis performed at room temperature revealed monocrystalline (111)-oriented rhombohedral (exhibiting ferroelectric properties) crystal structure of Ge1–xMnxTe layers in the entire range of Mn content studied. The examination of the magnetic properties of the layers carried out by superconducting SQUID magnetometry and ferromagnetic resonance technique showed the ferromagnetic transition with the Curie temperature in the range 10–100 K depending on the Mn content and the hole concentration. Contrary to polycrystalline GeMnTe layers, it was experimentally found that in monocrystalline layers of GeMnTe an easy magnetization axis is directed along a normal to the layer plane. This effect is discussed in terms of strain present in these layers due to thermal expansion coefficients mismatch between the substrate and the GeMnTe layer.