Synthesis of cubic ruthenium nitride by reactive pulsed laser ablation

• Published in: The Journal of physics and chemistry of solids Vol. 68; no. 10; pp. 1989 - 1994
• Main Authors: Moreno-Armenta, M.G., Diaz, J., Martinez-Ruiz, A., Soto, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: B. Plasma deposition; C. Ab initio calculations; C. X-ray diffraction; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; D. Crystal structure; Electron states and collective excitations in thin films, multilayers, quantum wells, mesoscopic and nanoscale systems; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Laser deposition; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Thin films and multilayers; B. Plasma deposition; C. X-ray diffraction; C. Ab initio calculations; D. Crystal structure; Annealing; Pulsed laser deposition; XRD; Hardness; Lattice parameters; APW calculations; Thermal stability; NaCl structure; Electronic structure; Ruthenium nitrides; Ab initio calculations
• ISSN: 0022-3697; 1879-2553
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2007.06.002

The recent synthesis of platinum nitride opens the possibility of novel platinum-group metal nitrides to exist. In this work we report the synthesis of ruthenium nitride by reactive pulsed laser ablation. Several plausible structures have been evaluated by ab initio calculations using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method, in order to investigate the ruthenium nitride structural and electronic properties. In fact, the predicted symmetry of stoichiometric RuN matches the experimental diffraction data. RuN crystallizes with NaCl-type structure at room temperature with cell-parameter somewhat larger than predicted by calculations. However we found a marginal chemical strength in these nitrides. The material is destroyed by mild acid and basic solutions. Under annealing RuN decomposes abruptly for temperatures beyond 100 °C. Since the thermal stability correlates directly with the mechanical properties our finding cast doubts than the latter transition metal nitrides can be ultra-hard materials at ambient conditions.