MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF AMORPHOUS Y-FE-N THIN-FILMS

Amorphous YFeN thin films have been prepared by sputtering in an argon -nitrogen gas mixture. The increase in the mean Fe-Fe distances throug h nitrogenation first induces a transition from the regular spin-glass -like behaviour to a ferromagnetic configuration with a Curie temperat ure above room temperature. The associated decrease in the Fe moment c an be described in a rigid band model for 2p-3d hybridization. When th e amount of nitrogen in the films is further increased the number of m agnetic Fe atoms becomes small enough for the system to behave like a diluted spin glass.