Modification of ferromagnetism in semiconductors by molecular monolayers

We report that adsorption of monolayers of organic molecules onto the surface of ferromagnetic semiconductor heterostructures produces large, robust changes in their magnetic properties. The heterostructures have half a monolayer of MnAs embedded in GaAs, 50 Angstrom beneath the surface. The molecules investigated are alkylphosphonic acids that bind to GaAs via a phosphonate group. The organization of the organic monolayer determines the reduction in the Curie temperature, with ordered monolayers producing nearly complete suppression of ferromagnetism. We attribute this striking chemical modulation of magnetic properties to electronic changes brought about by the binding of the molecules to the semiconductor surface. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.