Spin-disorder Scattering and Band Structure of the Ferromagnetic Chalcogenide Spinels

Magnetic semiconductors are characterized by the presence of charge carriers and magnetic moments. The interaction between the charge carriers and the magnetic moments leads to a spin splitting of the energy bands, and to spin-disorder scattering of the charge carriers. The result is a strong influence of magnetic properties on the transport properties. The theory of these effects is discussed in the first part of this paper. In the second part two models for the band structure of CdCr
2
Se
4
are discussed, and compared with experimental data on the optical properties and the transport properties.