  A route to break molecular nitrogen (N2) under mild conditions is
demonstrated by N2 gas cracking on, and incorporation into, lanthanide films.
Successful growth of lanthanide nitride thin films, made by evaporation of
lanthanides in a partial N2 atmosphere at room temperature and pressure as low
as 10-4 Torr, is confirmed using X-ray diffraction. In-situ conductance
measurements of pure lanthanide thin films exposed to N2 gas show an immediate
surface reaction and a slower bulk reaction. Finally, we report partial
reversal of the nitrogen incorporation in a lanthanide nitride by cycling
vacuum and nitrogen conditions in the sample chamber.A route to break molecular
nitrogen (N2) under mild conditions is demonstrated by N2 gas cracking on, and
incorporation into, lanthanide films. Successful growth of lanthanide nitride
thin films, made by evaporation of lanthanides in a partial N2 atmosphere at
room temperature and pressure as low as 10-4 Torr, is confirmed using X-ray
diffraction. Insitu conductance measurements of pure lanthanide thin films
exposed to N2 gas show an immediate surface reaction and a slower bulk
reaction. Finally, we report partial reversal of the nitrogen incorporation in
a lanthanide nitride by cycling vacuum and nitrogen conditions in the sample
chamber.
