Temperature dependent magnetization in Cr-doped CdTe crystals

We report magnetic, structural, and electrical properties of Cr-doped CdTe crystals grown by the vertical solidification method. High-resolution x-ray diffraction showed a single phase with a zinc-blende structure of lattice constant similar to 6.481 angstrom. It exhibited ferromagnetism with temperature-dependent magnetization. The ferromagnetic moment increased as the applied magnetic field increased in the field range of 100-2000 Oe. The temperature dependence of resistance exhibited Efros-Shklovskii-type variable range hopping proportional to 1/T-1/2. The appearance of ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature of similar to 395 K is explained by ferromagnetic interaction of Cr atoms dissolved in the CdTe matrix rather than intermetallic impurity phases. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.