SOFT-MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF ION-BEAM REACTIVELY SPUTTERED FE-N THIN-FILMS ON GE(100)

Several iron nitride thin films with nitrogen concentration less than 15 at.% were synthesized on Ge(100) wafers by a reactive ion beam sput tering method in an ammonia atmosphere. The composition and microstruc ture of these films were monitored by Rutherford backscattering spectr oscopy analyses and X-ray diffraction experiments. The soft magnetic p roperties of these films were measured by a vibrating sample magnetome ter. The changes in microstructure and magnetic properties during an a nnealing process at 180 degrees C under a Bowing nitrogen atmosphere w ere investigated. It was found that both the saturation magnetization sigma(s) and the coercivity H-c of these Fe-N films are higher than th at of pure iron film. However, no direct relationship between the high er a, values and the alpha' + alpha'' phase could be found in the as-s ynthesized and annealed iron nitride films. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.