Thermal ionization induced metal-semiconductor transition and room temperature ferromagnetism in trivalent doped ZnO codoped with lithium

Thermal ionization induced metallic to semiconductor (MST) transition occurring at 460 K for Zn0.97Al0.03O, 463 K for Zn0.94Al0.03Li0.03O, and 503 K for Zn0.91Al0.03Li0.03Mn0.03O has been found in the sol-gel synthesized (using hexamethylenetetramine), trivalent doped (Al, Mn) ZnO codoped with lithium. Increase in the thermally ionized carrier concentration due to Al doping is responsible for near band edge (NBE) peak shift causing Fermi level to move into conduction band making it metallic consistent with resistivity results. Free carrier (thermally activated) neutralization with ionized donor is responsible for semiconducting nature, which is supported from the free carrier screening produced energy shift in the NBE of photoluminescence peak. Furthermore, independently band gap shrinkage is also obtained from UV-Visible studies confirming localization induced MST. An anti-correlation is found between defect density (DLE) and room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) indicating intrinsic defects are not directly responsible for RTFM.