Electrodeposition of Co-P on silicon

In this work, we electrodeposited the soft magnetic alloy Co-P on (100) n-t ype silicon substrates. The depositions were carried out potentiostatically in a three-electrode cell. The Co-P thin films were characterized by diffe rent experimental techniques, i.e., Rutherford backscattering, magnetooptic al Kerr effect, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy. Co-P layers with thicknesses up to 11 00 mn, deposited at 75 degreesC, at an applied potential between -1.2 and - 1.5 V/SCE, showed metallic appearance with granular, compact and uniform mo rphology. The phosphorous content of films remained between 15 and 24 at% s howing slowly decreasing values with increasing layer thickness. Diffractio n measurements displayed no crystalline peaks and Kerr magnetometry showed a transition thickness at 600 nm below which in-plane magnetization is obse rved.