High frequency magnetic properties of a new, soft magnetic Fe–Cr–Ta–N alloy film have been investigated. Thin films with a composition of Fe-4.6&percent; Cr-0.2&percent; Ta-7.4&percent; N (in atomic &percent;) were prepared by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere. The films, most likely nanocrystalline, exhibit excellent soft magnetic properties in the as-deposited condition without any post heat treatment, e.g.,Hcas low as 1.2 Oe (95.3 A/m) and4&pgr;Ms∼20kG. The easy-axisM–Hloop is square. The hard-axis loop is linear and closed, with the anisotropy fieldHa=20–100Oe (1.59–7.95 kA/m). By virtue of their high4&pgr;Msand relatively highHa,these soft magnetic films exhibit high permeability and low loss in the GHz frequency range with the undesirable ferromagnetic resonance interference suppressed to beyond 2 GHz. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.