Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Near-zero-moment ferromagnetism in the semiconductor SmN
 
research article

Near-zero-moment ferromagnetism in the semiconductor SmN

Meyer, C.
•
Ruck, B. J.
•
Zhong, J.
Show more
2008
Physical Review B

The magnetic behavior of SmN has been investigated in stoichiometric polycrystalline films. All samples show ferromagnetic order with Curie temperature (T-C) of 27 3 K, evidenced by the occurrence of hysteresis below T-C. The ferromagnetic state is characterized by a very small moment and a large coercive field, exceeding even the maximum applied field of 6 T below about 15 K. The residual magnetization at 2 K, measured after cooling in the maximum field, is 0.035 mu(B) per Sm. Such a remarkably small moment results from a near cancellation of the spin and orbital contributions for Sm+3 in SmN. Coupling to an applied field is therefore weak, explaining the huge coercive field. The susceptibility in the paramagnetic phase shows temperature-independent Van Vleck and Curie-Weiss contributions. The Van Vleck contribution is in quantitative agreement with the field-induced admixture of the J = 7/2 excited state and the 2 ground state. The Curie-Weiss contribution returns a Curie temperature that agrees with the onset of ferromagnetic hysteresis, and a conventional paramagnetic moment with an effective moment of 0.4 mu B per Sm ion, in agreement with expectations for the crystal-field modified effective moment on the Sm+3 ions.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevB.78.174406
Web of Science ID

WOS:000261214500045

Author(s)
Meyer, C.
Ruck, B. J.
Zhong, J.
Granville, S.
Preston, A. R. H.
Williams, G. V. M.
Trodahl, H. J.
Date Issued

2008

Published in
Physical Review B
Volume

78

Issue

17

Article Number

174406

Subjects

Rare-Earth Nitrides

•

Magnetic-Properties

•

Crystal Fields

•

Interacting Donors

•

Behavior

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
IMX  
Available on Infoscience
November 30, 2010
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/60786
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés