Influence of Solution pH and Concentration of Saccharin on Electrodeposition and Properties of 2.4 T CoFe Alloys

Abstract

Electrodeposition of thick 2.4 T CoFe films with 60–63 wt % Fe was achieved at various solution pH values (2.0, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, and 2.8) in the presence of saccharin on 6 in. AlTiC wafers with a Cu seed layer. The effect of pH on the electrodeposition including voltammetric behavior, plating rate, and selectivity ratio was discussed. The increase in the solution pH affected some material properties such as surface roughness, grain size, morphology, and corrosion. The texture, coercivity, and tensile stress of the 2.4 T CoFe films with 60–63 wt % Fe were less affected by the solution pH. Possible reasons for such behavior were discussed. The increase in saccharin concentration from 0.1 to 2.0 g/L did not affect the roughness and corrosion of the electro deposited 2.4 T CoFe films at pH 2.0 but had an influence on their composition, stress, and coercivity.