Absence of ferromagnetism in Al-doped Zn0.9Co0.10O diluted magnetic semiconductors

A 0.5% Al-doped Zn0.895Co0.100O polycrystalline powder was synthesized by the co-precipitation method. Raman spectroscopy revealed that divalent cobalt ions were substituted for Zn2+ ions into the ZnO matrix and that Al ions activate additional modes which are nonspecific to the dopant. These additional modes disappear after annealing at 1373 K for 1 h under Ar flow. We suggest that the electrical dopant becomes active in substitutional sites after annealing. Resistance measurements confirm that free carriers were created in our sample. Nevertheless, the sample shows the same magnetic properties: a mixture of paramagnetism and antiferromagnetism. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.