  We have fabricated Fe(N) thin films with varied N2 partial pressure and
studied the microstructure, morphology, magnetic properties and resistivity by
using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron
microscopy, vibrating-sample magnetometer and angle-resolved M-H hysteresis
Loop tracer and standard four-point probe method. In the presence of low N2
partial pressure, Fe(N) films showed a basic bcc a-Fe structure with a
preferred (110) texture. A variation of in-plane magnetic anisotropy of the
Fe(N) films was observed with the changing of N component. The evolution of
in-plane anisotropy in the films was attributed to the directional order
mechanism. Nitrogen atoms play an important role in refining the a-Fe grains
and inducing uniaxial anisotropy.
