Weak doping dependence of the antiferromagnetic coupling between nearest-neighbor Mn${}^{2+}$ spins in (Ba${}_{1-x}$K${}_x$)(Zn${}_{1-y}$Mn${}_y$)${}_2$As${}_2$

Abstract

Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) are nonmagnetic semiconductors doped with magnetic transition metals. The recently discovered DMS material (Ba${}_{1-x}$K${}_x$)(Zn${}_{1-y}$Mn${}_y$)${}_2$As${}_2$ offers a unique and versatile control of the Curie temperature, $T_{\mathrm{C}}$, by decoupling the spin (Mn${}^{2+}$, $S=5/2$) and charge (K${}^{+}$) doping in different crystallographic layers. In an attempt to describe from first-principles calculations the role of hole doping in stabilizing ferromagnetic order, it was recently suggested that the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling $J$ between the nearest-neighbor Mn ions would experience a nearly twofold suppression upon doping 20\% of holes by potassium substitution. At the same time, further-neighbor interactions become increasingly ferromagnetic upon doping, leading to a rapid increase of $T_{\mathrm{C}}$. Using inelastic neutron scattering, we have observed a localized magnetic excitation at about 13 meV, associated with the destruction of the nearest-neighbor Mn-Mn singlet ground state. Hole doping results in a notable broadening of this peak, evidencing significant particle-hole damping, but with only a minor change in the peak position. We argue that this unexpected result can be explained by a combined effect of superexchange and double-exchange interactions.

6 pages, 4 figures