1) College of Mathematic and Physics, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210003, China
2) School of Science, Hubei Institute for Nationalities, Enshi 445000, China
3) Department of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
4) International Center of Material Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenyang 110016, China

Copper nitride film (Cu₃N) and La-doped copper nitride films (La_xCu₃N) were prepared on glass substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering of a pure Cu and a pure La targets under N₂ atmosphere. The results show that La-free film was composed of Cu₃N crystallites with anti-ReO₃ structure with (111) texture. The formation of the La_xCu₃N films is affected strongly by La, and the peak intensity of the preferred crystalline [111]-orientation decreases with increasing the concentration of La. High concentration of La may prevent the formation of the Cu₃N from crystallization. Compared with the Cu₃N films, the resistivity of the La_xCu₃N films have been decreased.

the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant No. 10574047
the Key Program of the Education Branch of Hubei Province of China under grant No. D200529002
the Key Program of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of China under grant No. 08HB05
the Scientific Research Foundation of Nanjing University of Post Telecommunication under grant No. NY208025.