Room temperature ferromagnetism in ZnO films due to defects

ZnO films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition on a-plane sapphire substrates under N2 atmosphere. Ferromagnetic loops were obtained with the SQUID at room temperature, which indicate a Curie temperature much above room temperature. No clear ferromagnetism was observed in intentionally Cu-doped ZnO films. This excludes that Cu doping into ZnO plays a key role in tuning the ferromagnetism in ZnO. 8.8 % negative magnetoresistance probed at 5 K at 60 kOe on ferromagnetic ZnO proves the lack of s-d exchange interaction. Anomalous Hall effect (AHE) was observed in ferromagnetic ZnO as well as in non-ferromagnetic Cu-doped ZnO films, indicating that AHE does not uniquely prove ferromagnetism. The observed ferromagnetism in ZnO is attributed to intrinsic defects.