Radio frequency reactive sputtered iron nitrides using ammonia gas: Structure and magnetic properties

Iron nitrides of γ′-Fe4N, ε-Fe2-3N, and ζ-Fe2N have been fabricated using rf sputtering with reactive NH3 gas, which offers significant advantages over the conventional N2 gas. All but ζ-Fe2N nitride films have relative high saturation moments with a large in-plane anisotropy. The Mössbauer results are consistent with structural analyses and those from bulk samples.