Investigation of Ternary Transition-Metal Nitride Systems by Reactive Cosputtering.

A reactive dc cosputtering technique has been used to evaluate compound formation in bimetallic transition-metal nitride systems. A wide range in M-M[prime] composition can be studied in a single deposition run, and the method is applicable to nonalloying metal combinations. Using this technique, it was found that [delta]-NbN and YN form a continuous (Nb,Y)N solid solution of the NaCl type, in which the superconducting transition temperature varies with the Nb:Y ratio. In the Gd-Cr-N system only limited solid solubility of CrN and GdN was found, and evidence was obtained for a new Gd-Cr-N species centered around the GdCr[sub 2] composition. This species shows a low-temperature magnetic transition. 12 refs., 5 figs.