Preparation of iron nitride thin films by magnetron sputtering under surface magnetic field on substrates

Newly developed magnetron sputtering apparatus has been employed to control surface magnetic field on substrate independent of external magnetic field. Iron and iron nitride thin films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering under various surface magnetic fields on substrates. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the orientation of iron thin films changed from {110} to {100} with the increase in surface magnetic field; the (110) pole figure indicated that iron {100} thin films had a little anisotropy with the easy axis parallel to the direction of applied magnetic field during deposition. Furthermore, iron nitride thin films deposited on the iron {100} thin films showed larger saturation magnetization than iron nitride thin films deposited on glass plates. In this way, multilayer iron and iron nitride thin films by orientation control could enhance magnetic properties. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.