Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism and Spin Polarization in Silicon Doped with Manganese
Abstract
In this study, we investigate the magnetic properties of silicon doped with manganese via thermal diffusion. The results demonstrate clear evidence of room-temperature ferromagnetism in p-type Si, arising from the spin alignment of Mn atoms and hole-mediated conductivity. Magnetoresistance and hysteresis analyses confirm spin-dependent transport, indicating that carrier-mediated exchange interactions are responsible for the observed magnetic ordering. The combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirms the successful incorporation of Mn atoms into the Si lattice without evidence of large secondary precipitates. The hysteresis loops measured at both 150 K and 300 K for the sample processed at T = 1050 °C (ρ = 4.2×10³ Ω·cm) reveal stable ferromagnetic behavior, with coercive fields of 115 Oe and 87 Oe, respectively. These findings open promising perspectives for the development of silicon-based spintronic devices using CMOS-compatible thermal-diffusion technology.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Olmas E. Sattarov, Bahromjon A. Abdurakhmanov, Giyos A. Kushiev, Stanislav A. Tachilin, Temur B. Ismailov, Zabarjat N. Umarxodjayeva
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