STRESS AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES IN HIGH MOMENT FEN THIN-FILMS

Single layer FeN films with low coercivity and low residual stress wer e prepared on Coming 0211 glass and Si substrates using rf diode sputt ering without postannealing. Substrates and a small amount of nitrogen in the film had a significant effect on the magnetic properties and r esidual stress of FeN films, The residual stress in the pure Fe films showed tensile characteristics due to thermal stress. The stress decre ased with increasing N-2/Ar flow ratio and passed a zero point at a fl ow rate ratio of similar to 3.5%, accompanied with a low coercivity. T he stress changed to compressive with further increasing nitrogen in t he lattice. The tensile-to-compressive transition in residual stress c an be explained by the increase in lattice constant in FeN films. The lattice constant increased with increasing nitrogen flow during deposi tion, which was probably due to more nitrogen incorporation in the bcc Fe lattice. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.