In order to understand the mechanism of the ferromagnetism in the ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs [(Ga,Mn)As], we have investigated the magnetic behavior on a microscopic level through systematic temperature ()- and magnetic field ()-dependent soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) experiments at the Mn absorption edges. The and dependences of XMCD intensities have been analyzed using a model consisting of the ferromagnetic (FM), paramagnetic, and superparamagnetic (SPM) components. Intriguingly, we have found a common behavior for the ferromagnetic ordering process in (Ga,Mn)As samples with different Mn concentrations (4% and 10.8%) and different Curie temperature () values (65, 120, and 164 K). In particular, the SPM component develops well above , indicating that local FM regions are formed well above . The present findings indicate that the onset of ferromagnetic ordering is triggered by local electronic states around the substitutional Mn ions rather than uniform electronic states considered by mean-field theories. Insight into the most representative ferromagnetic semiconductor, (Ga,Mn)As, provided by the present study will be an important step in understanding the mechanism of ferromagnetic ordering in various ferromagnetic semiconductor families.
Skip Nav Destination
Direct observation of the magnetic ordering process in the ferromagnetic semiconductor Ga1−xMnxAs via soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism
CHORUS
Article navigation
7 December 2020
Research Article|
December 03 2020
Direct observation of the magnetic ordering process in the ferromagnetic semiconductor Ga1−xMnxAs via soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism

Yukiharu Takeda
;
Yukiharu Takeda
a)
1
Materials Sciences Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: ytakeda@spring8.or.jp
Search for other works by this author on:
Shinobu Ohya
;
Shinobu Ohya
2
Center for Spintronics Research Network, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
3
Department of Electronic Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo
, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Nam Hai Pham
;
Nam Hai Pham
2
Center for Spintronics Research Network, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
4
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology
, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Masaki Kobayashi
;
Masaki Kobayashi
2
Center for Spintronics Research Network, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Yuji Saitoh;
Yuji Saitoh
1
Materials Sciences Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Hiroshi Yamagami
;
Hiroshi Yamagami
1
Materials Sciences Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
5
Department of Physics, Kyoto Sangyo University
, Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-Ku, Kyoto 603-8555, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Masaaki Tanaka
;
Masaaki Tanaka
2
Center for Spintronics Research Network, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
3
Department of Electronic Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo
, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Atsushi Fujimori
Atsushi Fujimori
1
Materials Sciences Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
6
Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo
, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: ytakeda@spring8.or.jp
J. Appl. Phys. 128, 213902 (2020)
Article history
Received:
October 02 2020
Accepted:
November 11 2020
Connected Content
A companion article has been published:
Understanding the mechanism of ferromagnetism in the semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As
See also
Citation
Yukiharu Takeda, Shinobu Ohya, Nam Hai Pham, Masaki Kobayashi, Yuji Saitoh, Hiroshi Yamagami, Masaaki Tanaka, Atsushi Fujimori; Direct observation of the magnetic ordering process in the ferromagnetic semiconductor Ga1−xMnxAs via soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. J. Appl. Phys. 7 December 2020; 128 (21): 213902. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0031605
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Sign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionPay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Citing articles via
Related Content
Magnetic circular dichroism in ZnSe/Ga1−xMnxAs hybrid structures with Be and Si co‐doping
AIP Conference Proceedings (June 2005)
Emergence of half-metallic ferromagnetism in Ga1-xMnxAs (x=0.25, 0.125 and 0.0625)
AIP Conference Proceedings (November 2020)
Transport study of the annealing‐induced transition from Ga1−xMnxAs alloys to GaAs:Mn/MnAs hybrids
AIP Conference Proceedings (April 2007)
Infrared Magneto‐Optical Studies in Ga1−xMnxAs Films
AIP Conference Proceedings (April 2007)
Electron spin dynamics of ferromagnetic Ga1−x Mnx As across the insulator-to-metal transition
Appl. Phys. Lett. (March 2013)