STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION, AND MORPHOLOGY OF ELECTRODEPOSITED COXFE1-X ALLOYS

We have investigated the structure, composition, and morphology of Cox Fe1-x alloys prepared on copper substrates under potentiostatic electr odeposition conditions currently used to produce composition modulated alloys. CoxFe1-x alloys with x = 1 to 0 have been obtained by simple control of the Co2+ : Fe2+ ratio in the bath solutions using the chara cteristic behavior of the codeposition of the metals. The alloy compos ition was determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy. X-ray analysis of the structure of deposits indicates texture with coexistence of ph ases. For higher iron concentrations the are mostly body-centered-cubi c with (110) preferred orientation. For higher cobalt concentrations t he alloys become mostly hexagonal with (0001) preferred orientation. S canning electron microscopy was used to analyze the deposit morphology . Except for alloy concentrations of about x = 0.7, where a nonuniform character of deposits with partial cobalt segregation has been observ ed, the Co-Fe alloys have a rather uniform composition and morphology in the cathodic potentials used for electrodeposition.