Nitrides as spintronic materials

A report on the progress in spintronics-related works involving group III nitrides is given, emphasizing contradictory opinions concerning the basic characteristics of these materials. The actual position of magnetic impurities in the GaN lattice as well as a possible role of magnetic precipitates is discussed. The question as to whether the hole introduced by Mn impurities is localized tightly on the Mn d levels or rather on the hybridized p-d bonding states is addressed. The nature of spin-spin interactions and magnetic phases, as provided by theoretical and experimental findings, is outlined and the possible origins of the high-temperature ferromagnetism observed in (Ga, Mn)N are presented. Experimental studies aimed at evaluating characteristic times of spin coherence and dephasing in GaN are described. (C) 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.