The objective of this study was to deposit thin films on PET polymer substrate and examine the functional properties systematically. Their properties have been studied as a function of the N₂-Ar flow rates, deposition time span and Cu doping. Iron nitride film deposited on both sides exhibits ferromagnetic phases, γ'-Fe₄N and ε-Fe₃N co-existed, shows negligible magnetic anisotropy. Other samples show the evolution of N-rich (FeN, Fe₂N) and N-poor (Fe16N₂, Fe₃N, Fe₄N) phases under different deposition time conditions. XPS analysis and free energy calculations confirmed that co-sputtered Fe-Cu thin films are more stable than layer deposited counterparts. From VSM results it is evident that the dominant phase, changes steadily from the ferromagnetic α-Fe (N) to the paramagnetic ξ-Fe₂N with the increase of nitrogen flow rates and the ordering of the nitrogen atoms. Binding energy increases steadily from 733 eV to 740 eV with the increasing thickness of thin films from 74 nm to 94 nm. It was observed that surface energy decreases as the contact angle of glycol increases and changes the thin film surface from polar to nonpolar. TEM images indicate that cubic γ'-Fe₄N and ε-Fe₃N nano particles oriented in preferred directions dispersed uniformly in the amorphous iron nitride matrix.
Keywords: EMI shielding effect; functional properties; iron nitride; magnetron sputtering; polymer substrate; surface free energy.