ELECTRODEPOSITION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOCRYSTALLINE ZNCOFE THN FILMS

In this study Zn-Co-Fe thin films with nanocrystalline structure were electrodeposited in sulfate solutions under different conditions. The effects of applied current density and ions concentrations were investigated on surface morphology, films composition and phase structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with EDS analyzer and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were utilized for characterization of deposited films. EDS map results demonstrated that increasing the Co and Fe content of the deposit leads to finer structure. SE-SEM micrographs showed two different types of morphologies. With increasing current density or cobalt concentration needle shape structure changed into globular or cauliflower-like structure. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the phase structure of the deposits was not according to the equilibrium Zn-Co-Fe phase diagram. The average grain sizes estimated by Scherer s formula were below 80nm; therefore all deposited films had nanocrystalline structure.

Keywords:

ZnCoFe electrodeposition , nanostructure , current density and ion concentration ,