Nanocrystalline iron nitride films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Nanocrystalline α-iron nitride films have been prepared using reactive ion-beam sputtering. Films develop significant perpendicualr magnetic anisotropy (PMA) with increasing thickness. A comparison of x-ray diffraction patterns taken with scattering vectors in the film plane and out of the film plane provides a clear evidence for development of compressive strain in the film plane with thickness. Thermal annealing results in relaxation of the strain, which correlates very well with the relaxation of PMA. This suggests that the observed PMA is a consequence of the breaking of the symmetry of the crystal structure due to the compressive strain.