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

Abstract Nickel nitride layers have been synthesized by using microwave plasma-assisted reactive sputtering. In the Ar–N 2 mixture used for the deposition, the Ar partial pressure was kept constant (0.015 Pa) and the N 2 pressure p (N 2 ) 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 Ni 3 N film deposited prove the non-ferromagnetic behavior of this compound.