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Strong Facet-Induced and Light-Controlled Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism in Semiconducting β-FeSi2 Nanocubes
Zhiqiang He1, Shijie Xiong1, Shuyi Wu1
1Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Crystalline β-FeSi2 nanocubes with two {100} facets and four {011} lateral facets synthesized by spontaneous one-step chemical vapor deposition exhibit strong room-temperature ferromagnetism with saturation magnetization of 15 emu/g. The room-temperature ferromagnetism is observed from the β-FeSi2 nanocubes larger than 150 nm with both the {100} and {011} facets. The ferromagnetism is tentatively explained with a simplified model including both the itinerant electrons in surface states and the local moments on Fe atoms near the surfaces. The work demonstrates the transformation from a nonmagnetic semiconductor to a magnetic one by exposing specific facets and the room-temperature ferromagnetism can be manipulated under light irradiation. The semiconducting β-FeSi2 nanocubes may have large potential in silicon-based spintronic applications.
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