Room temperature ferromagnetism in magnetron sputtering prepared Mn-doped ZnO thin films

Room temperature ferromagnetism has been observed in Mn-doped ZnO thin films using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction measurements show that the samples possess wurtize structures without secondary phases. Magnetization loops for Mn-doped ZnO thin film which deposited at 300 degrees C and annealed in O-2 atmosphere at 500 degrees C were measured at 300K and show ferromagnetic behaviour. In our study, the result shows that it is the substitutional Mn2+ ions that make the ferromagnetic ordering in Mn doped ZnO thin films. Ferromagentic ordering becomes weaker at higher concentration of oxygen vacancy. (C) 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics