Functional Mn--Mg${}_k$ cation complexes in GaN featured by Raman spectroscopy

The evolution of the optical branch in the Raman spectra of (Ga,Mn)N:Mg epitaxial layers as a function of the Mn and Mg concentrations, reveals the interplay between the two dopants. We demonstrate that the various Mn-Mg-induced vibrational modes can be understood in the picture of functional Mn–Mg${}_k$ complexes formed when substitutional Mn cations are bound to $k$ substitutional Mg through nitrogen atoms, the number of ligands $k$ being driven by the ratio between the Mg and the Mn concentrations.