Magnetic and spin-dependent transport properties of reactive sputtered epitaxial Ti 1-xCr xN films

Abstract

Reactive-sputtered epitaxial Ti 1-xCr xN films are ferromagnetic in the range of 0.17 ≤ x ≤ 0.51 due to the Cr-N-Cr double-exchange interaction below the Curie temperature (T C). The T C first increases, then decreases as x increases, and a maximum of 120 K appears at x = 0.47. All of the films are metallic with a transition near T C. A resistivity minimum ρ min is observed below 60 K in the films with 0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.51 due to the effects of the weak localization and electron-electron interaction. The negative magnetoresistance (MR) is caused by the double-exchange interaction below T C and the weak localization can also contribute to MR below T min where ρ min appears. The x-dependent electron carrier densities reveal that the ferromagnetism is not from the carrier-mediated mechanism. The anomalous Hall resistivity follows the relation of ρxyA∝ρxx2, which is from the side-jump mechanism. © 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.