Near Room Temperature Growth of Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor Oxides: Visiting Fellowship for Dr. Ying Lin Liu

Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) represent a fascinating new class of magnetic materials. They are made by adding small amounts of magnetic materials to semiconductors. Sometimes, it seems that the magnetism arises without such magnetic additions and is related to defects (e.g. when the crystals have missing atoms) in the semiconductors. New Physics is required to explain the DMS mechanism. In this proposal, we are interested in oxides which have potential for applications at room temperature (e.g. to be used in new components in computers). We will study near-room temperature electrochemical growth of films which we find consistently produce the DMS effect. Indeed, electrochemistry is a new way to grow such DMS oxides and it is hoped that by studying the materials made by this method we will understand more about the DMS mechanism.