Phase formation, thermal stability and magnetic moment of cobalt nitride thin films


الملخص بالإنكليزية

Cobalt nitride (Co-N) thin films prepared using a reactive magnetron sputtering process by varying the relative nitrogen gas flow (pn) are studied in this work. As pn~increases, Co(N), tcn, Co$_3$N and CoN phases are formed. An incremental increase in pn, after emergence of tcn~phase at pn=10p, results in a continuous expansion in the lattice constant ($a$) of tcn. For pn=30p, $a$ maximizes and becomes comparable to its theoretical value. An expansion in $a$ of tcn, results in an enhancement of magnetic moment, to the extent that it becomes even larger than pure Co. Though such higher (than pure metal) magnetic moment for Fe$_4$N thin films have been theoretically predicted and evidenced experimentally, higher (than pure Co) magnetic moment are evidenced in this work and explained in terms of large-volume high-moment model for tetra metal nitrides.

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