Stress control in electrodeposited CoFe films—Experimental study and analytical model

Work investigating the effect of saccharin as an additive on growth stress and structure of electrodeposited CoFe films is presented. The saccharin concentrations were in the range between 0 g L−1 and 1.5 g L−1. The stress measurements are performed in situ during electrodeposition of CoFe films using cantilever-bending method (curvature measurements). The structure of CoFe films was studied by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Results show that growth stress is a decreasing function of saccharin concentration. No appreciable change in composition, grain size, orientation or texture of CoFe films are observed with increasing saccharin content in solution. The growth stress dependence on saccharin concentration is discussed within the framework of analytical model, which directly links the observed stress decrease with the apparent saccharin coverage of the CoFe film surface during the electrodeposition process.