EXAFS and SR-XRD study on Mn occupations in Zn1−xMnxO diluted magnetic semiconductors

Mn-doped ZnO films were prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering on sapphire substrate. Mn content was determined by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Only Mn, no other magnetic impurities such as Fe, Co and Ni were observed. Also, no precipitates such as MnO, Mn3O4 and other secondary phases or Mn clusters, were found by SR-XRD, even in Mn-doped content up to 11 at.%. EXAFS analyses showed that Mn atoms were incorporated into ZnO crystal lattice by occupying the sites of zinc atoms.