Electrodeposition and characterization of hybrid granular ferromagnetic metal - semiconductor systems - ZnSe:Fe and ZnSe: Co

The aim of this work is the characterization of the chemical, structural and magnetic properties of two metal-semiconductor hybrid systems fabricated by potentiostatic electrodeposition consisting of ferromagnetic metallic particles (Fe and Co) with nanoscaled dimensions embedded in a ZnSe semiconductor matrix. The nucleation growth processes of deposits were electrochemically analyzed by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry techniques. Chemical and structural analyses were performed with x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements in the image mode and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) mode, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. Magnetic properties were investigated by SQUID magnetometry through magnetization curves versus applied magnetic field and analysis of the magnetization behavior as a function of the temperature. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the electrodeposition of ZnSe:Fe and ZnSe:Co hybrid granular systems, since an easy compositional segregation of the ferromagnetic metal in the multidomain magnetic particles dispersed in a polycrystalline semiconductor matrix is attained, without evidence of intermediate compound formation. These systems are very interesting due to their potential for optoelectronics and electronic magneto transport applications. (author)