Thermal instability of implanted Mn ions in ZnO

This letter reports on the site configuration of implanted Mn cations in ZnO. The samples studied were obtained by means of ion implantation in m-plane ZnO single crystals. Synchrotron radiation based fluorescence shows no contamination during the implantation process. The results of micro-x-ray absorption spectroscopy indicate that Mn ions are located in substitutional sites without detectable traces of secondary phases. The postgrowth thermal annealing in $O2$ atmosphere induces a change in the coordination of a large amount of Mn cations, corresponding to $α-Mn2O3$⁠.