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D J Priour

Publications and source records attributed to D J Priour.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Phase diagram of the disordered RKKY model in dilute magnetic semiconductors.

We consider ferromagnetism in spatially randomly located magnetic moments, as in a diluted magnetic semiconductor, coupled via the carrier-mediated indirect exchange RKKY interaction. We obtain, via Monte Carlo calculations, the magnetic phase diagram as a function of the impurity moment density n(i) and the relative carrier concentration n(c)/n(i). As evidenced by the diverging correlation length and magnetic susceptibility, the boundary between ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic phases constitutes a line of zero temperature critical points which can be viewed as a magnetic percolation transition. In the dilute limit, we find that bulk ferromagnetism vanishes for n(c)/n(i) >0.1. We also incorporate the local antiferromagnetic direct superexchange interaction between nearest neighbor impurities and examine the impact of a damping factor in the RKKY range function.

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Quasi-two-dimensional diluted magnetic semiconductor systems.

We develop a theory for two-dimensional diluted magnetic semiconductor systems (e.g., Ga(1-x)Mn(x)As layers) where the itinerant carriers mediating the ferromagnetic interaction between the impurity local moments, as well as the local moments themselves, are confined in a two-dimensional layer. The theory includes exact spatial disorder effects associated with the random local moment positions within a disordered RKKY lattice field theory description. We predict the ferromagnetic transition temperature (T(c)) as well as the nature of the spontaneous magnetization. The theory includes disorder and finite carrier mean-free path effects as well as the important correction arising from the finite temperature RKKY interaction, finding a strong density dependence of T(c) in contrast to the simple virtual crystal approximation.

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Vortex states of a superconducting film from a magnetic dot array.

Using Ginzburg-Landau theory, we find novel configurations of vortices in superconducting thin films subject to the magnetic field of a magnetic dot array, with dipole moments oriented perpendicular to the film. Sufficiently strong magnets cause the formation of vortex-antivortex pairs. In most cases, the vortices are confined to dot regions, while the antivortices can form a rich variety of lattice states. We propose an experiment in which the perpendicular component of the dot dipole moments can be tuned using an in-plane magnetic field. We show that in such an experiment the vortex-antivortex pair density shows broad plateaus as a function of the dipole strength. Many of the plateaus correspond to vortex configurations that break dot lattice symmetries. In some of these states, the vortex cores are strongly distorted. Possible experimental consequences are mentioned.

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Disordered RKKY lattice mean field theory for ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors.

We develop a lattice mean field theory for ferromagnetic ordering in diluted magnetic semiconductors by taking into account the spatial fluctuations associated with random disorder in the magnetic impurity locations and the finite mean free path associated with low carrier mobilities. Assuming a carrier-mediated indirect RKKY exchange interaction among the magnetic impurities, we find substantial deviation from the extensively used continuum Zener model Weiss mean field predictions. Our theory allows accurate analytic predictions for Tc and provides simple explanations for a number of observed anomalies, including the non-Brillouin function magnetization curves, the suppressed low-temperature magnetization saturation, and the dependence of Tc on conductivity.

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