Enhanced Curie temperature in N-deficient GdN

Polycrystalline GdN thin films have been grown at room temperature with varying N 2 pressure. By varying the nitrogen pressure during growth we alter the carrier concentrations of the films. Films grown at low nitrogen pressures display onset of magnetization at temperatures as high as 200 K and a resistivity of 0.3 m Ω cm , whereas films grown at high nitrogen pressures all show a Curie temperature very close to 70 K and resistivity ranges over 1 - 1000 Ω cm are observed. For all GdN films a peak in the resistivity occurs at T C .