Phase diagram of a ferromagnetic semiconductor. The origin of superparamagnetism

Abstract

We study the theoretical model of a ferromagnetic semiconductor as a system of randomly distributed Ising spins with a long-range exchange interaction. Using the density-of-states approach, we analytically obtain the magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity over a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields. It is shown that the finite system of spins in magnetic field less than a certain critical field is in a superparamagnetic state due to thermodynamic fluctuations. The complex phase structure of a ferromagnetic semiconductor is discussed.