Electron paramagnetic resonance of Zn1-xMnxO thin films and single crystals

X-band electron paramagnetic resonance spectra were recorded for Zn1−xMnxO films grown by pulsed laser deposition and a single crystal for comparison. For different Mn concentrations in Zn1−xMnxO films we performed measurements in dependence on the angle between the applied magnetic field and the c axis of the wurtzite ZnMnO lattice. The fine and hyperfine structure splitting parameters and g values were determined by modeling the experimental spectra. For both single crystal and films the investigations showed the incorporation of Mn ions at Zn lattice sites as Mn2+. For higher Mn concentrations, a broad Lorentzian single line, probably due to divalent Mn ions in higher local concentrations undergoing exchange, was found superimposed onto the resolved Mn2+ spectrum at g=2.000. Furthermore, by extrapolating the lattice-distortion-dependent fine-structure parameters determined for samples with a Mn content of x≤0.035, we anticipate that for Zn1−xMnxO single crystals and thin films on c-plane sapphire with x=0.045 the D fine-structure parameters should be equal.