Cu2(Zn,Mn)(Sn,Al)Se4: A diluted magnetic semiconductor with decoupled charge and spin doping

Abstract We report the successful synthesis and characterization of a diluted magnetic semiconductor Cu2(Zn,Mn)(Sn,Al)Se4 with stannite structure. 15% of Mn doping into the quaternary semiconductor Cu2ZnSnSe4 does not induce any type of magnetic ordering. Only when Al is codoped with Mn, is ferromagnetic transition observed in Cu2(Zn,Mn)(Sn,Al)Se4. Our results demonstrate that Mn substitution for Zn introduces local moments, while Al substitution for Sn introduces carriers, respectively. Both spins and carriers are crucial in the formation of ferromagnetic ordering in Cu2(Zn,Mn)(Sn,Al)Se4.