Ferromagnetic transition-metal-doped tin dioxide thin films

Induced ferromagnetism (FM) above room temperature in Cr/Ni/V-doped SnO/sub 2/ thin films was studied. 200 nm-thick films were grown using pulsed laser deposition technique. Structural study, magnetization measurements and chemical composition determination were done through X-ray diffraction, magnetic force microscopy at room temperature and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Findings prove that doping a small amount of transition metal in nonmagnetic oxides could introduce FM thru Ruderman, Kittel, Kasuya, and Yoshida (RKKY) interaction.