PREPARATION OF IRON NITRIDE THIN-FILMS BY MAGNETRON SPUTTERING UNDER SURFACE MAGNETIC-FIELD ON SUBSTRATES

Newly developed magnetron sputtering apparatus has been employed to co ntrol surface magnetic field on substrate independent of external magn etic field. Iron and iron nitride thin films were deposited by DC magn etron sputtering under various surface magnetic fields on substrates. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the orientation of iron thin films changed from {110} to {100} with the increase in surface ma gnetic field; the (110) pole figure indicated that iron {100} thin fil ms had a little anisotropy with the easy axis parallel to the directio n of applied magnetic field during deposition. Furthermore, iron nitri de thin films deposited on the iron {100} thin films showed larger sat uration magnetization than iron nitride thin films deposited on glass plates. In this way, multilayer iron and iron nitride thin films by or ientation control could enhance magnetic properties. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.