EFFECT OF MAGNETIC FIELD INTENSITY ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND RESISTIVITY OF ELECTRODEPOSITED NICKEL

A Cu/Ni thin film has been made using the electroplating assisted by a magnetic field in the direction parallel to the electric field. The magnetic field was varied from 0 to 250 G and then their effect was studied on the thickness of the film, microstructure, and the sheet resistivity. The results show thet, the magnetic field intensity from 0 to 100 G gradually increased the thickness of the Ni film but at 150 G the Ni plating process was inhibited by magnetic driving forces, so the thickness reached the minimum value that was 2.21 µm. Increasing magnetic field intensity up to 150 G increased the ordering of the crystalline structure and reduced the d-spacing between the crystal planes (111). The minimum thickness together with the high ordering of crystalline structure leads to the lowest sheet resistivity that is 2.485 ± 0.287 /sq.