Sputter Deposition of Fe-Co Nitride for Ferromagnetic Granular Nitride Thin Film

Abstract

Sputter deposited Fe0.7Co0.3 nitride thin film had zinc blende structure. It was thermally decomposed completely back to the ferromagnetic Fe0.7Co0.3 alloy above 400°C. As-deposited nitride thin films obtained in cosputtering of (Fe0.7Co0.3)1-xAlx composite target with nitrogen sputter gas were solid solutions with zinc blende (x≤0.44) and wurtzite (x>0.5) type structure, respectively. The largest magneto resistance ratio of 0.24% was observed on the Fe0.7Co0.3 alloy particles dispersed in AlN thin film obtained by thermal decomposition of the nitride solid solution with x=0.66 at 500°C.