Preparation of Cr(N x,O y) thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Chromium oxynitride [Cr(N x ,O y )] thin films have been prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The thin films were prepared by depositing chromium metal vapor in a nitrogen ambient gas with residual oxygen. By composition analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, it was found that the thin films contained approximately ∼46 at.% oxygen. In the Fourier transform infrared spectra, the peak originating from the CrN bond was found, and no peak originating from the CrO bond of the Cr 2O 3 phase was observed. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the thin film was in a B1 (NaCl) structure. From these results, it has been concluded that the Cr(N x ,O y ) thin film, which structurally resembles CrN where nitrogen atoms were partially substituted by oxygen, has been successfully produced. It was also found that the CrN phase maintains a B1 structure, even if 46 at.% oxygen is dissolved into the structure. By decreasing nitrogen pressure, the preferential orientation of the thin films changes from [200] to [111].