Ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic orderings in wurtzite diluted magnetic nanostructures

Using a new approach based on symmetry analysis, we have determined the magnetic symmetry groups (Shubnikov groups) of ferro- and antiferromagnetic wurtzite nanostructures doped with magnetic atoms periodically distributed at cation sites as well as the direction of the spontaneous magnetic field. Quantum wells, nanorods (nanowires), nanotubes, and quantum dots have been considered. The direction of the spontaneous magnetic field is determined by magnetic atoms with higher C3v (3m) or Cs (m) site symmetry group (the site symmetry group is defined with respect to the doped nanostructure). When the magnetic-atom distribution becomes more or less disordered (Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors), it seems reasonable to assume that, in most of the cases, the symmetry in regions with a size of some wurtzite unit-cells remains close to that of a periodic one, hence possibly inducing local ferro- or antiferromagnetic properties. The regions can induce overall ferro- or antiferromagnetic states when they have common spontaneous magnetic field direction or, possibly, induce easy-magnetization direction or plane (direction or plane of maximal magnetization intensity for a given external magnetic field strength) when disorder imposes a spread of spontaneous magnetic field direction over the various regions. Of course, such an effect adds itself to magnetic properties eventually induced by grain boundaries, other crystalline phases, and defects such as vacancies, dislocations or interstitial atoms.