Structure and properties of ternary manganese nitride Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin films fabricated by facing target magnetron sputtering

Journal Article · Fri Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2011.03.015· OSTI ID:22212192

Na, Yuanyuan ^[1]; Wang, Cong ^[1]; Sun, Ying; Chu, Lihua; Nie, Man ^[1]; Ji, Nian; Wang, Jian-ping ^[2]

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1. Center for Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Key Laboratory of Micro-Naro Measurement, Manipulation and Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China)
2. The Center of Micromagnetic and Information Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455 (United States)

Graphical abstract: This figure reveals the dependence of the texture coefficient TC{sub (111)} and TC{sub (200)} of the Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin films on T{sub sub}. These results indicate that the preferred orientation of the Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin films dramatically changed from (1 1 1) to (2 0 0) with the increase of T{sub sub}. In one word, the orientation of Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin film can be tailored by adjusting the magnetron sputtering processing parameters and substrate. It is the first time to report the deposition of Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin films on single crystal Si (1 0 0) at various substrate temperatures (T{sub sub}) by facing target magnetron sputtering. The influences of substrate temperature on crystal structure and morphology are discussed. The temperature dependences of magnetization, lattice parameters and resistivity for the resulting film are systematically investigated, which shows several different physical properties from those of previous work. Highlights: {yields} Variation of the substrate temperatures adjusted the preferred orientation from (1 1 1) to (2 0 0) of the Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin films. {yields} There exists a magnetic ordering transition at 225 K from paramagnetic (PM) to ferrimagnetic (FI), which is different than previous results. {yields} It shows a positive thermal expansion behavior with average linear thermal expansion coefficient 2.49 x 10{sup -5} K{sup -1}. However there was no crystal phase transition occurred around the magnetic transition in the film. {yields} The temperature dependence of resistivity displayed a semiconductor-like behavior, which is quite different from the bulk sample. {yields} We believe that our findings may provide an important role to further utilize the potential of antiperovskite manganese nitride film. -- Abstract: Deposition of Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin films on single crystal Si (1 0 0) at various substrate temperatures (T{sub sub}) by facing target magnetron sputtering is reported. The crystal structure and composition were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results confirmed that the crystalline antiperovskite Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin film with (2 0 0) highly preferred texture had been obtained at T{sub sub} = 180 {sup o}C. Furthermore, for the resulting Mn{sub 3}CuN{sub y} thin film, it showed different properties compared with the bulk counterpart. There was a paramagnetic to ferrimagnetic transition at 225 K with decreasing temperature. The change of the lattice constant with temperature presented positive thermal expansion behavior and no structural transition was observed. The average linear thermal expansion coefficient ({alpha}) is 2.49 x 10{sup -5} K{sup -1} from 123 K to 298 K. More interestingly, the temperature dependence of resistivity displayed a semiconductor-like behavior, i.e. an obvious monotonous decrease of resistivity with increasing temperature.

• OSTI ID: 22212192
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 46, Issue 7; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTAL-PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
DEPOSITION
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
GRAIN ORIENTATION
LATTICE PARAMETERS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETRONS
MANGANESE
MONOCRYSTALS
PARAMAGNETISM
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SUBSTRATES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMAL EXPANSION
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY