The role of carriers in spin current and magnetic coupling for ZnO:Co diluted magnetic oxides

[[abstract]]The role of carriers in the electric conduction and magnetic coupling of diluted magnetic oxides is essential to the spin current formation. This study elucidates the conduction of electrons originating from oxygen vacancies and the magnetic coupling between major doped transition ions. The findings indicate that electrons may conduct in the conduction band or by hopping within discrete localized states. Furthermore, because d-orbital of doped transition ions overlap with these localized states, only hopping electrons contribute to magnetic coupling and spin current formation. Those electrons in the conduction band have no observable effect on magnetic coupling