In-situ observation of secondary phase formation in Fe implanted GaN annealed in low pressure N-2 atmosphere

The formation of secondary phases in Fe implanted GaN upon annealing in low pressure N2-atmosphere was detected by means of in-situ x-ray diffraction and confirmed by magnetization measurements. A repeatable phase change from Fe2N at room temperature and Fe(3-x)N at 1023 K was observed in-situ. The phase transformation is explained by the change of lattice site and concentration of nitrogen within nitrides. The diffusion of Fe towards sample surface and oxidation with increasing annealing cycles limits the availability of secondary phase and hence the repeatability. At high temperature GaN dissolves and Ga as well as Fe oxidize due to presence of residual oxygen in the process gas. The ferromagnetism in the samples is related to nanometer sized interacting Fe(3-x)N crystallites.