Growth of Fe3N films via chemical vapor deposition of iron acetylacetonate and anhydrous ammonia

Polycrystalline Fe3N films have been grown via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on 50-μm thick polycrystalline Ti substrates using iron acetylacetonate (IAA) and anhydrous ammonia (NH3) in a cold-wall vertical pancake-style reactor. X-ray diffraction data indicated that single phase Fe3N was present in films deposited at and above 600°C; below this temperature no deposition occurred. The composition of the Fe3N films did not vary with changes in the deposition temperature, the NH3 flow rate or the deposition rate at a constant deposition pressure of 100 Torr. The surface macrostructure of the as-deposited films was independent of the deposition temperature and was very similar to that of the uncoated Ti substrate. The microstructure of the films was porous with a thickness variation of ≈1 μm across the surface of the films. Larger grains were produced at 600 and 800°C, while smaller and more uniform grains were produced at 700°C. Energy dispersive X-ray data indicated that films deposited at and above 600°C contained low levels of both carbon and oxygen.