Growth and characterization of ZnMnO thin films

Zn1−xMnxO (0≤x≤0.1) thin films were grown on sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition and rf magnetron sputtering methods. As a target source ceramic pellets prepared by mixing ZnO and Mn3O4 powders were used. The shift of the absorption edge due to increase the energy band gap with increasing Mn content was observed in optical absorption spectra of the Zn1−xMnxO thin films. Magnetic susceptibility and magneto-optical Faraday rotation experiments show paramagnetic behavior and absence of ferromagnetic ordering in the studied films.