Room-temperature ferromagnetism observed in Nd-doped In2O3 dilute magnetic semiconducting nanowires*

Nd-doped In2O3 nanowires were fabricated by an Au-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition method. Nd atoms were successfully doped into the In2O3 host lattice structure, as revealed by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. Robust room temperature ferromagnetism was observed in Nd-doped In2O3 nanowires, which was attributed to the long-range-mediated magnetization among Nd3+-vacancy complexes through percolation-bound magnetic polarons.