Anion effect in CorAu 111/ electrodeposition: structure and magnetic behavior

In-situ scanning tunneling microscopy STM.and in-situ alternating gradient field magnetometry AGFM.are used in combination to characterize the structure and magnetic behavior of CorAu 111. layers electrodeposited from CoSO4 solutions, with anions XsCly and SCNy added in amount traces. In the Cly solution, the 2-D growth process is briefly recalled. In the thiocyanate SCNy. solution, preliminary observations show that nanometer clusters accumulate on top of a Co underpotential deposition UPD.monolayer. Both structures solutionrCorAu 111.exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy PMA.for a Co thickness tFt), with t);2 ML in the Clysolution and ;4–5 ML in the SCNyone. Results are briefly discussed in light of classical models for PMA in ultrathin films. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.