Electrodeposition of Co-P on Silicon

Abstract

In this work, we electrodeposited the soft magnetic alloy Co–P on (100) n-type silicon substrates. The depositions were carried out potentiostatically in a three-electrode cell. The Co–P thin films were characterized by different experimental techniques, i.e., Rutherford backscattering, magneto-optical Kerr effect, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy. Co–P layers with thicknesses up to 1100 nm, deposited at 75 °C, at an applied potential between —1.2 and —1.5 V/SCE, showed metallic appearance with granular, compact and uniform morphology. The phosphorous content of films remained between 15 and 24 at % showing slowly decreasing values with increasing layer thickness. Diffraction measurements displayed no crystalline peaks and Kerr magnetometry showed a transition thickness at 600 nm below which in-plane magnetization is observed.