Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Fe-N thin films have attracted considerable attention because they are potential candidates for magnetic recording with their large saturation magnetization and their good corrosion resistance1. It has even been demonstrated that saturation magnetization can be larger than the bulk iron one for low nitrogen contents2. The origin of the enhanced magnetic moment could occur from the metastable α″ Fe16N2 phase or from an expanded bcc FeN structure which is also called α FeN.