Structural and magnetic properties of Ni3N synthesized by multidipolar microwave plasma-assisted reactive sputtering

Nickel nitride layers have been synthesized by using microwave plasma-assisted reactive sputtering. In the Ar–N2 mixture used for the deposition, the Ar partial pressure was kept constant (0.015 Pa) and the N2 pressure p(N2) was chosen between 0.014 and 0.045 Pa. The reactive sputtering assisted by microwave multidipolar plasma appears to be a powerful technique for tailoring the stoichiometry of transition metal nitrides. Physical measurements performed on a stoichiometric nickel nitride Ni3N film deposited prove the non-ferromagnetic behavior of this compound.