Self-assembled c-axis oriented antiperovskite soft-magnetic CuNCo3 thin films by chemical solution depositionElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5tc00349k

Preparation of antiperovskite thin films is challenging work due to their complex phase diagram and easy decomposition during processing, which hinder the fundamental studies and applications. Herein, we report the preparation of antiperovskite CuNCo 3 (CNC) thin films on several different single crystal substrates by chemical solution deposition. The results show that the derived CNC thin films are c -axis oriented regardless of the substrate orientation, suggesting the self-assembled c -axis orientation. The microstructures as well as the physical properties are investigated, showing that the CNC thin films are metallic and can be considered as a new type of soft-magnet with a ferromagnetic Curie temperature higher than 650 K. The results will provide an effective route for fabricating antiperovskite cobalt-based thin films as well as provide a prototype for the investigation of the growth mechanisms of complex metal nitride thin films by solution methods. Self-assembled c -axis oriented ternary antiperovskite soft-magnetic CuNCo 3 thin films with a Curie temperature higher than 650 K by a chemical solution method.