Structural, optical and magnetic characteristics of an InMnP:Zn epilayer

p-type bulk InP was prepared by using the liquid encapsulated Czochralski method and was subsequently diffused with Mn by heat treatment after the evaporation of Mn on top of InP:Zn by using a molecular beam epitaxy system. The characteristics of Mn-diffused InMnP:Zn were investigated by using an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence, and a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer measurements. The compositional results for the energy dispersive X-ray peak showed an injected concentration of Mn of 3%. The samples were structurally characterized by transmission electron microscopy with selective area diffraction patterns, and no evidence of secondary phase formation was found in the InMnP:Zn epilayer. The results of the photoluminescence measurements showed that broad optical transitions related to Mn appeared near 1.17, 1.21, and 1.24 eV and confirmed that the transitions around 1.2 eV were due to a Mn-related band caused by the diffusion of Mn into InP:Zn. Clear ferromagnetic hysteresis loops were observed at 10 and 300 K, and the temperature-dependent magnetization showed ferromagnetic behavior persisting up to 300 K, which was caused by carrier-mediated ferromagnetism in InMnP:Zn. We found that a ferromagnetic semiconductor can be formed at room temperature in a diluted magnetic semiconductor based on GaMnN and InMnP additionally co-doped with Mg and Zn, respectively.