Fabrication of Fe-N Thin Films by the Plasma Evaporation Method and Analysis of N2 Plasma

The relationships between the formation of iron nitride films by plasma reactive evaporation and the plasma parameters (space potential Vs, electron density Ne and electron temperature Te) were investigated. The Vs, Ne and Te of the reactive nitrogen plasma were determined by the single probe method. The formation of nitrides was found to depend strongly on both Vs and Ne. The nitrogen concentration increased with increasing Ne and Vs. In particular, an ¿´ phase was obtained when Ne=(1 to 3)×10⁹ cm^¿3 and Vs was either 50 V or between 300 and 500 V. The process of nitride formation in the plasma reactive evaporation was also investigated by using evaporated iron films exposed to nitrogen plasma. The nitrides were found to be formed mainly on the film surface.