Magnetism in Ar-implanted ZnO

Abstract

ZnO single crystals were implanted with Ar ions with an energy of 100 keV and different fluences. Ferromagnetic behaviour is observed at room temperature after implantation. This behaviour is suppressed after consecutive annealings at 400 and 500 °C. Although trace transition metal impurities have been identified in the virgin samples, it is shown that they cannot account for the observed magnetic behaviour that is assigned to the presence of implantation-induced lattice defects.