Direct evidence of defect coordination and magnetic interaction in local structure of wurtzite type Zn1-xCoxO thin films

The local structure of as deposited and post treated Zn0.95Co0.05O films is investigated to understand the origin of their paramagnetic and tunable ferromagnetic properties for scientific advancements in spintronics. The crystallographic perfect short range ordering in the vicinity of tetrahedrally substituted Zn and Co atoms is responsible for mediating purely paramagnetic behavior in Zn0.95Co0.05O film grown by pulsed laser deposition. Irradiating the as deposited Zn0.95Co0.05O films with 500 keV inert xenon ions of different fluences, leads to creation of O, Zn and Co related defects in coordination shells of tetrahedrally substituted Zn and Co atoms. Apart from defect creation, spinel type ZnCo2O4 phase is evident for the film irradiated at highest fluence, in which Zn and Co atoms exist in tetrahedral and octahedral symmetry around the oxygen atoms. The tunable ferromagnetism in post irradiated Zn0.95Co0.05O films is understood from a model that includes strong ferromagnetic and weak antiferromagnetic interactions operating within their local structure. The ferromagnetic interaction is explained from (i) dopant defect hybridization of O vacancies and high spin (S ¼ 3/2) Co atoms and (ii) spin interaction at O 2p orbital's in Zn vacancy rich regions in tetrahedral symmetry. The weak antiferromagnetic interaction is discussed from the presence of octahedral coordinated low spin (S ¼ 0) Co atoms in ZnCo2O4 structure.