ELECTROCHEMICAL DEPOSITION - A METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIALLY STRUCTURED MATERIALS

The potential of electrochemical deposition (ECD) as a production meth od for artificially structured materials is discussed. Compared with p hysical vapour deposition (PVD), ECD technology has some definite adva ntages. Its low cost, industrial applicability and its ability to prod uce structural features with sizes ranging from nanometres to micromet res have recently created increased interest in this technology for th e production of artificially structured materials. The different ECD m ethods are briefly reviewed and some specific cases of artificially st ructured coatings produced by ECD, such as epitaxial multilayered mate rial (Cu/Ni), amorphous material in combination with crystalline mater ial (NiP(x)/NiP(y)) and alternating hard and ductile materials (NiP(x) /Sn), will be highlighted. It will be shown that, by controlling the E CD conditions adequately, a wide range of artificially structured mate rials with respect to their constituent elements and their microstruct ural morphology may be produced.