Abstract We studied the growth behavior, structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of cobalt nitride (Co-N) thin films deposited using direct current (dc) and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) processes. The N2 partial gas flow (RN2) was varied in close intervals to achieve the optimum conditions for the growth of the tetra cobalt nitride (Co4N) phase. We found that Co-N films grown using the HiPIMS process adopt (111) orientation as compared to the growth taking place along the (100) direction in the dcMS process. It was observed that HiPIMS grown Co-N films were superior in terms of crystallite size and uniform surface morphology. The local structure of films was investigated using x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements. We found that the high energy of adatoms in the HiPIMS technique assisted in the more excellent stabilization of fcc-Co and the novel Co4N phase relative to the dcMS process. Magnetic properties of Co-N thin films were studied using magneto-optical Kerr effect, vibrating sample magnetometry and polarized neutron reflectivity. It was found that though the saturation magnetization remains almost similar in films grown by dcMS or HiPIMS processes, they differ in terms of their magnetic anisotropy. Such variation can be understood in terms of differences in the growth mechanisms in dcMS and HiPIMS processes affecting the resulting Co4N phase’s local structure.

中文翻译：

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使用 HiPIMS 沉积的 Co4N 薄膜的结构、电子和磁特性

摘要 我们研究了使用直流 (dc) 和高功率脉冲磁控溅射 (HiPIMS) 工艺沉积的氮化钴 (Co-N) 薄膜的生长行为、结构、电子和磁性能。N2 部分气流 (RN2) 以紧密间隔变化，以达到四氮化钴 (Co4N) 相生长的最佳条件。我们发现，与 dcMS 工艺中沿 (100) 方向发生的生长相比，使用 HiPIMS 工艺生长的 Co-N 薄膜采用 (111) 取向。据观察，HiPIMS 生长的 Co-N 薄膜在微晶尺寸和均匀的表面形态方面是优越的。使用 X 射线吸收精细结构 (XAFS) 测量来研究薄膜的局部结构。我们发现 HiPIMS 技术中吸附原子的高能量有助于更出色地稳定 fcc-Co 和相对于 dcMS 过程的新型 Co4N 相。使用磁光克尔效应、振动样品磁强计和极化中子反射率研究了 Co-N 薄膜的磁性。发现虽然饱和磁化强度在通过 dcMS 或 HiPIMS 工艺生长的薄膜中几乎保持相似，但它们的磁各向异性不同。这种变化可以从 dcMS 和 HiPIMS 过程中影响所得 Co4N 相局部结构的生长机制的差异来理解。振动样品磁力计和极化中子反射率。发现虽然饱和磁化强度在通过 dcMS 或 HiPIMS 工艺生长的薄膜中几乎保持相似，但它们的磁各向异性不同。这种变化可以从 dcMS 和 HiPIMS 过程中影响所得 Co4N 相局部结构的生长机制的差异来理解。振动样品磁力计和极化中子反射率。发现虽然饱和磁化强度在通过 dcMS 或 HiPIMS 工艺生长的薄膜中几乎保持相似，但它们的磁各向异性不同。这种变化可以从 dcMS 和 HiPIMS 过程中影响所得 Co4N 相局部结构的生长机制的差异来理解。