  The present study delves into exploring the impact of a thin protective layer
of scandium nitride (ScN) on the superconductive properties of thin films of
niobium nitride (NbN) generated through reactive magnetron deposition. This is
the first time such an investigation has been carried out. The article offers a
comprehensive investigation of the morphological, microstructural, and
electrophysical features of thin films that have undergone high-temperature
annealing in an oxygen-rich environment. The dependence of the critical
transition temperature of the NbN thin film on the annealing temperature of the
samples in an oxygen medium, with and without ScN coating, was determined.
According to X-ray reflectometry studies, it has been observed that the ScN
film serves as a protective layer, even when exposed to annealing temperatures
of approximately 450{\deg}C, without significantly affecting the NbN layer
density or thickness. It has been shown that adding a ScN coating to a thin NbN
film increases its resistance to corrosive media compared to a film without the
coating.
