Preparation of Cr(Nx,Oy) thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Chromium oxynitride [Cr(N-x,O-3)] thin films have been prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The thin films were prepared by depositing chromium metal vapor in a nitrogen ambient gas with residual oxygen. By composition analysis using Xray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, it was found that the thin films contained approximately similar to46 at.% oxygen. In the Fourier transform infrared spectra, the peak originating from the Cr-N bond was found, and no peak originating from the Cr-O bond of the Cr,03 Phase was observed. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the thin film was in a B1 (NaCl) structure. From these results, it has been concluded that the Cr(T-x,O-y) thin film, which structurally resembles CrN where nitrogen atoms were partially substituted by oxygen, has been successfully produced, It was also found that the CrN phase maintains a B1 structure, even if 46 at.% oxygen is dissolved into the structure. By decreasing nitrogen pressure, the preferential orientation of the thin films chancres from [200] to [111]. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.