An Electron Transmission Microscopy Study of Chemically Reduced Cobalt

Abstract

The early growth stages of chemically reduced cobalt on thin Formvar substrates were examined by electron transmission microscopy. The growth characteristics were examined as a function of the average effective thickness and the deposition rate (1 Å/sec. to 6 Å/sec.). The chemical reduction method is essentially a controlled autocatalytic reduction of cobalt ions from solution by hypophosphite ions in the presence of a catalyst (Co, Ni, Pd, Al). Thin Formvar films prepared on a glass base were indirectly catalyzed with palladium by immersion in a stannous chloride solution, rinsing and immersing in a palladium chloride solution.