  Over the last two decades, the new branch of spintronics, i.e., semiconductor
spintronics, has gained more attention because it integrates the
characteristics of conventional semiconductors, such as optical bandgap and
charge carriers, helpful for processing and computing pieces of information
combined with magnets for data storage applications in a single device.
Likewise, substituting transition metal (TM) ions to induce magnetic qualities
into semiconductors or oxides creates dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) or
oxides (DMOs) with high electronic, photonic, and magnetic functionality. This
review article discusses the historical outline of magnetic semiconductors with
their origin and mechanism. It also includes a concise overview of various DMO
systems based on their conductivity (p-type and n-type) to elucidate the
synthesis, origin, and control mechanisms and further evoke the prepared
spintronics devices. The occurrence of RTFM with transparency and conductivity
can be helpful in spintronics device fabrications, which was assumed to be
governed by the formation of intrinsic defects, charge carriers, morphology,
and the induced exchange interactions between ions. The DMOs-based spintronics
devices, such as magneto-optical devices, transparent ferromagnets, and
spin-based solar cells, exploit both semiconducting and magnetic properties,
which have also been discussed in this review article with outlook and
perspectives.
