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 Fe3N 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 NH3. Electron diffraction peak positions of films were compared with Fe3C, Fe7C3, Fe2N, Fe3Nγ-Fe4N, Fe5N2 and Fe3O4 crystal structure d-spacings. The presence of a carbide satellite peak in AES data and by matching all d-spacings in the JCPDS Fe3C card file with every experimental diffraction pattem, enabled us to confirm the presence of Fe3C in these films at all deposition temperatures.