Fe-N thin films were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering at elevated temperature of 80 degrees C. The residual stress of the thin film was characterized by means of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction method. The effect of magnetron sputtering parameter on residual stress was investigated. The results indicate that the nitrogen content in working gas has great effects on the residual stress in the Fe-N thin film, and the residual stress increases firstly and then decreases with the increasing of nitrogen content in working gas. Curie temperature measurement shows that tensile residual stress enhances the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition temperature of Fe-N thin films under the condition of same phase composition. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.