Cobalt valence states and origins of ferromagnetism in Co doped TiO2 rutile thin films

Co doped rutile thin films were fabricated on α-Al2O3 (10-12) substrates by laser molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the rutile thin films are (101) oriented and have smooth surfaces with no impurity phases. Co K-edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure, extended x-ray absorption fine structure, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the coexistence of different valence states of Co in the film. Magnetic circular dichroism studies suggest that the observed ferromagnetism is uniform and is related to the electron band structure of TiO2 rutile. Contribution of oxidized (Co2+) and metallic (Co0) cobalt to the ferromagnetism is discussed.