Ferromagnetic Double Perovskite Semiconductors with Tunable Properties

The authors successfully dope the magnetically silent double perovskite semiconductor Sr₂ GaSbO₆ to induce ferromagnetism and tune its bandgap, with Ga³⁺ partially substituted by the magnetic trivalent cation Mn³⁺ , in a rigid cation ordering with Sb⁵⁺ . The new ferromagnetic semiconducting Sr₂ Ga_{1- x} Mn_x SbO₆ double perovskite, which crystallizes in tetragonal symmetry (space group I4/m) and has tunable ferromagnetic ordering temperature and bandgap, suggests that magnetic ion doping of double perovskites is a productive avenue toward obtaining materials for application in next-generation oxide-based spintronic devices.