Epitaxial UN and $\alpha$-U$_2$N$_3$ Thin Films

Abstract

Single crystal epitaxial thin films of UN and U$_2$N$_3$ have been grown for the first time by reactive DC magnetron sputtering. These films provide ideal samples for fundamental research into the potential accident tolerant fuel, UN, and U$_2$N$_3$, its intermediate oxidation product. Films were characterised using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), with XRD analysis showing both thin films to be [001] oriented and composed of a single domain. The specular lattice parameters of the UN and U$_2$N$_3$ films were found to be 4.895\,\AA{} and 10.72\,\AA{}, respectively, with the UN film having a miscut of 2.6\,$^\circ$. XPS showed significant differences in the N-1s peak between the two films, with area analysis showing both films to be stoichiometric.