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We have developed a theory which describes the simultaneous para-to-ferromagnetic and semiconductor-to-metal transition in electron-doped EuO [1]. The increase of the Curie temperature in Gd-doped EuO is driven by low lying spin fluctuations on the impurity levels and the resulting effective transfer of spectral weight towards the chemical potential. Based on this work we investigate the influence of surfaces and interfaces on the electronic and magnetic properties of thin EuO films. It is believed, that the proper arrangement of EuO films in a layered structure can enhanced the spin fluctuations on the defects in the semiconducting gap even further.
[1] M. Arnold and J. Kroha, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 046404 (2008). |
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