XPS study of polycrystalline and epitaxial FeTaN films deposited by dc reactive magnetron sputtering

Thin films of FeTaN have been investigated as potential head materials for several years. However, little information related to its chemical characte ristics can be found in the literature, therefore polycrystalline and epita xial FeTaN films were synthesized by d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering. Fo llow-up annealing was performed on some of the thin films under vacuum cond itions. The chemical compositions and elemental chemical states of both kin ds of thin films were investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is shown that the nitrogen content in the films can be changed and easily c ontrolled by varying the nitrogen gas Bow rates during the deposition proce ss. There are no large chemical shifts in the binding energies of Ta 4f, Fe 2p and N 1s between polycrystalline and epitaxial films. No chemical compo unds among Fe, Ta and N were formed in as-deposited or even in vacuum-annea led thin films, However, a chemical shift of Ta 4f from its atomic state wa s found. In addition, relatively large contents of carbon and oxygen inside the films were noticed. The existing chemical states, sources and possible effects of nitrogen, carbon and oxygen on the magnetic properties were stu died and discussed. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.