Ferromagnetic spin ordering in amorphous Co-doped InGaZnO based on the Co–H–Co complex

Seunghun Lee¹, Won-Kyung Kim¹, Yong Chan Cho¹, Seung-Wan Seo², Jong-Seong Bae³, Chae Ryong Cho⁴, Hideomi Koinuma¹ and Se-Young Jeong^1a

¹ Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University - Miryang, 627-706, Republic of Korea
² Department of Nanomaterials Engineering, Pusan National University - Miryang, 627-706, Republic of Korea
³ Busan center, Korea Basic Science Institute - Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea
⁴ Department of Nano Fusion Technology, Pusan National University - Miryang 627-706, Republic of Korea

^a syjeong@pusan.ac.kr

Received: 22 December 2011
Accepted: 7 March 2012

Abstract

We report on ferromagnetic spin ordering in amorphous Co-doped InGaZnO (Co-IGZO) based on hydrogen mediation. The amorphous structure was maintained after hydrogenation using hot isostatic pressing. Changes in the electrical and optical characteristics were attributed to interactions between hydrogen and each element in Co-IGZO. The ferromagnetism of hydrogenated Co-IGZO, induced in the amorphous phase without long-range ordering, was manifested by spin-spin interactions of the Co–H–Co complex acting as an individual magnetic unit, similar to a single molecular magnet. It is suggested that the electron carriers mediate the correlation between Co–H–Co units.