Quest for high-Curie temperature Mn_xGe_1-x diluted magnetic semiconductors for room-temperature spintronics applications

In this paper, we report the non-equilibrium growth of various Mn-doped Ge dilute magnetic semiconductor nanostructures using molecular-beam epitaxy, including quantum dots, nanodisks and nanowires. Their detailed structural and magnetic properties are characterized. By comparing the results with those in Mn_xGe_1-x thin films, it is affirmed that the use of nanostructures helps eliminate crystalline defects and meanwhile enhance the carrier-mediate ferromagnetism from substantial quantum confinements. Our systematic studies provide a promising platform to build nonvolatile spinFET and other novel spintronic devices based upon dilute magnetic semiconductor nanostructures.