Enhanced Curie temperature in N-deficient GdN

Abstract

Polycrystalline GdN thin films have been grown at room temperature with varying N2 pressure. By varying the nitrogen pressure during growth we alter the carrier concentrations of the films. Films grown at low nitrogen pressures display onset of magnetization at temperatures as high as 200 K and a resistivity of 0.3 mΩ cm, whereas films grown at high nitrogen pressures all show a Curie temperature very close to 70 K and resistivity ranges over 1–1000 Ω cm are observed. For all GdN films a peak in the resistivity occurs at TC.