Electrodeposited cobalt films: Alteration caused by the electrolyte pH

Date

2011-01

Authors

Karaağaç, Öznur
Koçkar, Hakan

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Springer

Abstract

Cobalt (Co) films were electrodeposited on polycrystalline copper substrates at different pH values. It is observed that the crystal structure of the films converts from hexagonal close-packed (hcp) to a mixed phase of face centered cubic and hcp as the electrolyte pH decreases. The grain size calculated from the X-ray diffraction patterns decreases with the decrease of electrolyte pH. The surface of the films grown at a high pH is more uniform than that of the films grown at a low pH. The saturation magnetization and the coercivity decrease as the electrolyte pH decreases. The high coercivity value at high pH corresponds to the hcp crystal structure of the films as well as the large grain size of Co clusters. Magnetic measurements also reveal that the easy axis direction of magnetization is parallel to the film plane for all films since the higher remanent magnetization and lower saturation field are observed in parallel hysteresis loops.

Description

Keywords

Physics, Cobalt films, Crystal structure, Electrodeposition, Magnetic properties, Grain size, Thin films, Coercivity, Cobalt compounds, Coercive force, Crystal structure, Diffraction, Electrodeposition, Electrolytes, Grain size and shape, Hysteresis loops, Magnetic materials, Saturation magnetization, X ray diffraction, Co clusters, Cobalt film, Easy axis, Electrodeposited cobalt, Face-centered cubic, Film planes, Grain size, Hexagonal close-packed, High coercivity, High pH, Large-grain, Mixed phase, pH value, Polycrystalline copper, Remanent magnetization, Saturation fields, Cobalt

Citation

Alper, M. vd. (2009). "Electrodeposited cobalt films: Alteration caused by the electrolyte pH". Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism, 24(1-2), 801-804.