Electrodeposition of Fe thin films on Si(1 1 1) surfaces in the presence of sodium saccharin

In this work we describe the fabrication of metallic Fe deposits onto Si(1 1 1) substrates using potentiostatic electrodeposition technique. The addition of sodium saccharin in the aqueous ammonium-sulfated solutions tends to inhibit the solid-state reaction between Fe and Si and enhance the protection against oxidation under air exposition compared to deposits without additive. Sodium saccharin shows to be a leveling, brightening, and stress reducing agent capable to alter the ferromagnetic behavior of the films at room temperature. The influence of the additive on the surface morphology, crystalline structure, microchemistry, and magnetism of deposits is discussed.