As-grown Mn3CuN thin films with high crystallinity prepared by dynamic aurora pulsed laser deposition

Mn3CuN thin films were prepared using dynamic aurora pulsed laser deposition (PLD), which enables magnetic field application during film growth. The magnetic field can stabilize a plasma state of nitrogen in plume generated from a nitride target. Results show that Mn3CuN phase with high crystallinity is observed clearly and grown epitaxially on MgO(001) in the as-grown thin films. The as-grown thin films show ferromagnetic transition near 150 K without post-annealing, indicating almost no nitrogen deficiency. These results suggest that dynamic aurora PLD is effective for nitride thin films with high crystallinity.