Magnetic properties of a SnO2 quantum dot

• The dangling bonds can induce magnetic moments and can be eliminated by saturating.
• Abundant magnetic properties are induced by combining with dangling bonds and magnetic dopants.
• The changes of magnetic moments can be explained well by a carrier modulated model.

By using first-principles calculations, the magnetic properties of a SnO2 quantum dot (QD) are investigated. It is found that dangling bonds (DBs) are equated with Co (Ni) dopants, which can induce magnetic moments in SnO2 QDs. Thus, the QD shows very abundant variation of the magnetic properties by combining dopants with DBs. The changes of magnetic moments can be explained well by a carrier modulation model.