Growth and topology of Co-Fe and Co-Ni alloy electrodeposits studied by atomic force microscopy

We show that surface roughness, sigma, of the Co-based alloy electrodeposit s is affected by their deposition rate, nu, sigma can be minimised for a pa rticular nu value for which there is a change of the films' preferred growt h orientation, This occurs with tactically the same surface diffusion lengt h D-s of the ad-atoms with Co-Ni. A more marked deviation of D-s is observe d with Co-Fe. The two materials exhibit a self-affine fractal surface patte rn, which concurs with the conservative growth mode for Co-Ni, while Co-Fe leads to the KPZ nonconservative process. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.