Mössbauer spectroscopic study of iron-nickel nitrides thin films prepared by ion beam assisted deposition

Abstract

In this paper we have shown the feasibility of ion beam assisted deposition to produce iron-nickel nitride thin films of various compositions. We have carried out their compositional and structural characterization by means of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and integral conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy (ICEMS). The results have shown that Ni is incorporated within the films and that the temperature of the substrate has a large influence both in the phase composition obtained as well as in the degree of crystallinity of the thin films produced. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.