Possible Room-Temperature Ferromagnetic Semiconductors

Magnetic semiconductors integrate the dual characteristics of magnets and semiconductors. It is difficult to manufacture magnetic semiconductors that function at room temperature. Here, we review a series of our recent theoretical predictions on room-temperature ferromagnetic semiconductors. Since the creation of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic semiconductors in 2017, there have been numerous developments in both experimental and theoretical investigations. By density functional theory calculations and model analysis, we recently predicted several 2D room-temperature magnetic semiconductors, including CrGeSe₃ with strain, CrGeTe₃/PtSe₂ heterostructure, and technetium-based semiconductors (TcSiTe₃, TcGeSe₃, and TcGeTe₃), as well as PdBr₃ and PtBr₃ with a potential room-temperature quantum anomalous Hall effect. Our findings demonstrated that the Curie temperature of these 2D ferromagnetic semiconductors can be dramatically enhanced by some external fields, such as strain, construction of heterostructure, and electric field. In addition, we proposed appropriate doping conditions for diluted magnetic semiconductors, and predicted the Cr doped GaSb and InSb as possible room-temperature magnetic semiconductors.