Microstructure of plasma-deposited iron-nitride films

Abstract

Iron nitride films are potential candidates for information storage media. In order to use the films as a perpendicular magnetic recording media, it is necessary to know about the micro-, crystal, and magnetic structures, physical properties, and processing of these thin films. Here we describe the micro- structure of plasma-deposited iron nitride films. The microstructure of films deposited on glass and carbon support films on copper grids were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Auger electron Spectroscopy (AES). According to XRD, single phase Fe 3 N was successfully produced on glass substrates at temperatures 200, 275, 400, & 500 °C, and flow ratios between 0.4 to 15.3 of Fe(CO) 5 , and NH 3 . Electron diffraction peak positions of films were compared with Fe 3 C, Fe 7 C 3 , Fe 2 N, Fe 3 N γ -Fe 4 N, Fe 5 N 2 and Fe 3 O 4 crystal structure d-spacings. The presence of a carbide satellite peak in AES data and by matching all d-spacings in the JCPDS Fe 3 C card file with every experimental diffraction pattem, enabled us to confirm the presence of Fe 3 C in these films at all deposition temperatures.