Premium
XPS study of polycrystalline and epitaxial FeTaN films deposited by d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering
Author(s) -
Yang Dehua,
Jiang Hai,
Ott Ronald,
Minor Kevin,
Grant Jonathan,
Varga Lajos,
Barnard John A.,
Doyle William D.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9918(199904)27:4<259::aid-sia560>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , crystallite , thin film , chemical state , sputter deposition , epitaxy , sputtering , analytical chemistry (journal) , carbon film , nitrogen , chemistry , annealing (glass) , carbon fibers , chemical shift , cavity magnetron , materials science , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , crystallography , metallurgy , organic chemistry , layer (electronics) , composite material , composite number , engineering
Thin films of FeTaN have been investigated as potential headmaterials for several years. However, little information related toits chemical characteristics can be found in the literature,therefore polycrystalline and epitaxial FeTaN films were synthesizedby d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering. Follow‐up annealing wasperformed on some of the thin films under vacuum conditions. Thechemical compositions and elemental chemical states of both kinds ofthin films were investigated by x‐ray photoelectronspectroscopy. It is shown that the nitrogen content in the films canbe changed and easily controlled by varying the nitrogen gas flowrates during the deposition process. There are no large chemicalshifts in the binding energies of Ta 4f, Fe 2p and N 1s betweenpolycrystalline and epitaxial films. No chemical compounds among Fe,Ta and N were formed in as‐deposited or even invacuum‐annealed thin films. However, a chemical shift of Ta 4ffrom its atomic state was found. In addition, relatively largecontents of carbon and oxygen inside the films were noticed. Theexisting chemical states, sources and possible effects of nitrogen,carbon and oxygen on the magnetic properties were studied anddiscussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.