Effect of deposition site condition on the initial growth process of electroless CoNiP films

Effect of deposition site condition on the growth process of electroless Co NiP films was investigated by employing the intermediate 'treatment' step d uring the deposition. The effect of chemical species in the bath on the dep osition sites, i.e., the film growth process, was examined using scanning e lectron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). By changing the pH of the solutions for the 'treatment' step, it was found that the 'treat ment' with higher pH solution resulted in the formation of smaller grains w hich possess lower perpendicular coercivity, Hc(perpendicular to). From the se results, ammonia in the deposition bath results in the inhibition of the growth of crystallites, which leads lower Hc(perpendicular to). Based upon this, a model of the growth process of the CoNiP films was proposed. (C) 1 999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.