From a non-magnet to a ferromagnet: Mn+ implantation into different TiO2 structures

Abstract

We report effect of the initial structural order on the resulting magnetic properties of manganese implanted TiO2 films. Different microstructures of as-grown TiO2 films, namely, amorphous, polycrystalline anatase, and epitaxial anatase, have been implant-doped with Mn+ up to a concentration of 5 at. %. We found that different initial structures lead to different defect and charge carrier concentrations and, as a result, strongly influence the magnetic properties upon implantation. Depending on the initial microstructure, paramagnetism, secondary phases related magnetic properties as well as ferromagnetism could be observed in the films.