Formation of Amorphous Iron Thin Films during Electrodeposition

Abstract

In this study, the crystallographic structure transition of iron thin films during electrodeposition (using a rectangular pulse current at a rate of 2 MHz) was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mean grain size estimated by the Scherrer equation reached a minimum value for a specific amplitude and duty cycle of the rectangular pulse current; moreover, the minimum grain size decreased with the deposition temperature. The present XRD analysis demonstrated the deposition of amorphous iron films at temperatures ≤ 295 K and duty cycles ≥ 40%.

Swift heavy ion irradiation-induced amorphous iron and Fe–Si oxide phases in metallic 57Fe layer vacuum deposited on surface of SiO2/Si

“…Amorphous pure iron has been successfully produced by sonochemical means [10] and by swift heavy ion irradiation [11][12][13]. Electrochemical preparation of amorphous pure iron [14], production of amorphous iron hydride by reaction in aqueous solution [15] and production of metallic amorphous iron by thermal decomposition of iron carbonyl in liquid phase [16] were also reported. Crystallization of amorphous iron under specific pressure conditions was followed in situ by electron microscopy [17].…”

Secondary Nucleation and Unstable Roughening in Fe Layers Electrodeposited on Si

“…Electrochemical approaches have been used by several groups for the deposition of thin iron films in the last decades due to the possibility of fine-tuning the growth conditions with a relatively low cost. − In the search to produce integrated circuits, Fe films were electrodeposited on surfaces of semiconductors such as Si or GaAs. ,,, …”