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. 2024 Jan 25;14(3):263.
doi: 10.3390/nano14030263.

Colossal Magnetoresistance in Layered Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor Rb(Zn,Li,Mn)4As3 Single Crystals

Yi Peng  1   2 , Luchuan Shi  1   2 , Guoqiang Zhao  1 , Jun Zhang  1 , Jianfa Zhao  1 , Xiancheng Wang  1 , Zheng Deng  1   2 , Changqing Jin  1   2
Affiliations

Colossal Magnetoresistance in Layered Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor Rb(Zn,Li,Mn)4As3 Single Crystals

Yi Peng et al. Nanomaterials (Basel). .

Abstract

Diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) with tunable ferromagnetism are among the most promising materials for fabricating spintronic devices. Some DMS systems have sizeable magnetoresistances that can further extend their applications. Here, we report a new DMS Rb(Zn1-x-yLiyMnx)4As3 with a quasi-two-dimensional structure showing sizeable anisotropies in its ferromagnetism and transverse magnetoresistance (MR). With proper charge and spin doping, single crystals of the DMS display Curie temperatures up to 24 K. Analysis of the critical behavior via Arrott plots confirms the long-range ferromagnetic ordering in the Rb(Zn1-x-yLiyMnx)4As3 single crystals. We observed remarkable intrinsic MR effects in the single crystals (i.e., a positive MR of 85% at 0.4 T and a colossal negative MR of -93% at 7 T).

Keywords: colossal magnetoresistance; diluted magnetic semiconductor; quasi-two-dimensional structure; single crystal.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Crystal structure of RbZn4As3 with stacking Rb layers and ZnAs layers. The black frame shows the unit cell. (b) The XRD pattern and the corresponding Rietveld refinement of Rb(Zn0.85Li0.1Mn0.05)4As3. (c) Lattice constants versus doping levels for Rb(Zn0.9−xLi0.1Mnx)4As3 and Rb(Zn0.9−yLiyMn0.1)4As3, respectively. (d) The XRD pattern Rb(Zn0.83Li0.1Mn0.07)4As3 single crystal.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Temperature-dependent magnetization of polycrystalline Rb(Zn0.95−yLiyMn0.05)4As3 with y = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 after ZFC and FC processes under an external field of 500 Oe. The inset is the temperature-dependent reciprocal of magnetic susceptibility and corresponding linear fitting. (b) Field-dependent magnetization of Rb(Zn0.95−yLiyMn0.05)4As3 at 5 K. The inset is the enlarged magnetic loops at low fields. (c) M(T) curves of Rb(Zn0.95Mn0.05)4As3 and Rb(Zn0.75Li0.10Mn0.05)4As3 in the ZFC process. (d) M(T) curves of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 and Rb(Zn0.78Li0.15Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals with an external field parallel to the c-axis and ab-plane. (e) M(H) curves of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 and Rb(Zn0.78Li0.15Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals with an external field parallel to the c-axis and ab-plane at 5 K.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Arrott plot of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals between 14 and 22 K with a step of 1 K for the mean-field model. (b) Arrott plot of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals between 6 and 12 K with a step of 1 K for the 3D Heisenberg model. (c) The 3D Ising model. (d) M(T) and dM(T)/dT curves of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals with an external field parallel to the c-axis. (e) The temperature-related distribution of the relative variation in slope from linear fitting equations of high-field Arrott plots. (f) Kouvel–Fisher plot of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals and corresponding linear fitting for t > 0. (g) Kouvel–Fisher plot of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals and corresponding linear fitting for t < 0. (h) Log-log plot at 20 K and corresponding linear fitting obtained from the M(H) plot at 20 K.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Temperature-dependent resistivity of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 and Rb(Zn0.78Li0.15Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals. The inset is the active model fitting of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3. (b) Transverse magnetoresistance of Rb(Zn0.93−yLiyMn0.07)4As3 single crystals with H of 14 T parallel to the c-axis. (c) ρ(T) of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals with H of 7 T parallel to the c-axis and ab-plane at low temperatures. The inset is the configuration of the external fields and measured current. (d) Transverse magnetoresistance of the Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals with H parallel to the c-axis and ab-plane at 2 K. (e) Hall effect measurement of Rb(Zn0.83Li0.10Mn0.07)4As3 single crystals. The inset is the enlarged high-field region.
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