The production of the new cubic FeN phase by reactive magnetron sputtering

FeNy films with a nitrogen content of nearly 50 at.% (y approximate to 1) w ere prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering. Their properties were studie d as a function of several sputtering parameters (gas-flow rates, substrate temperature and bias voltage), using ion-beam analytical methods, Mossbaue r spectroscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In order to highlight the role of light contaminant elem ents (H,C,O) in the production of single-phase cubic FeN films, the concent ration profiles of all the elements of the films were measured by Time of F light Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (TOF-ERDA). (C) 1999 Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.