Strain dependence of the Mn anisotropy in ferromagnetic semiconductors observed by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.77.113205

Authors: N. R. S. Farley (University of Nottingham) , E. Arenholz (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) , R. P. Campion (University of Nottingham) , C. T. Foxon (University of Nottingham) , B. I. Gallagher (University of Nottingham) , G. Van Der Laan (Diamond Light Source) , K. W. Edmonds (University of Nottingham)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Physical Review B , VOL 77 (11) , PAGES 113205-1/4

State: Published (Approved)
Published: March 2008

Abstract: We demonstrate a sensitivity of the Mn 3d valence states to strain in the ferromagnetic semiconductors (Ga, Mn)As and (Al, Ga, Mn)As using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The spectral shape of the Mn L(2,3) XMCD is dependent on the orientation of the magnetization, and features with cubic and uniaxial dependence are distinguished. Reversing the strain reverses the sign of the uniaxial anisotropy of the Mn L(3) prepeak which is ascribed to transitions from the Mn 2p core level to p-d hybridized valence band hole states. With increasing carrier localization, the L(3) prepeak intensity increases, indicating an increasing 3d character of the hybridized holes.

Subject Areas: Physics


Instruments: NONE-No attached Diamond beamline