Dilute ferromagnetic semiconductors: Physics and spintronic structures

This review compiles results of experimental and theoretical studies on thin\nfilms and quantum structures of semiconductors with randomly distributed Mn\nions, which exhibit spintronic functionalities associated with collective\nferromagnetic spin ordering. Properties of p-type Mn-containing III-V as well\nas II-VI, V_2-VI_3, IV-VI, I-II-V, and elemental group IV semiconductors are\ndescribed paying particular attention to the most thoroughly investigated\nsystem (Ga,Mn)As that supports the hole-mediated ferromagnetic order up to 190\nK for the net concentration of Mn spins below 10%. Multilayer structures\nshowing efficient spin injection and spin-related magnetotransport properties\nas well as enabling magnetization manipulation by strain, light, electric\nfields, and spin currents are presented together with their impact on metal\nspintronics. The challenging interplay between magnetic and electronic\nproperties in topologically trivial and non-trivial systems is described,\nemphasizing the entangled roles of disorder and correlation at the carrier\nlocalization boundary. Finally, the case of dilute magnetic insulators is\nconsidered, such as (Ga,Mn)N, where low temperature spin ordering is driven by\nshort-ranged superexchange that is ferromagnetic for certain charge states of\nmagnetic impurities.\n