Structure and magnetism of manganese-doped ZnO powder samples

The magnetic and structural properties of manganese-doped ZnO powder samples prepared by a solid state method are reported. Magnetization measurements indicate ferromagnetic behavior, with hysteresis observed in the M vs. H behavior at 300 K. Coercive fields were <100 Oe at 300 K. Temperature-dependent magnetization measurements showed evidence for ordering temperatures of >300 K. However, the results show that ferromagnetism originates from the doped matrix rather than any type of magnetic cluster and the ferromagnetism is due to the defects and/or oxygen vacancies confined to the surface of the grains. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim