Growth, Crystal Structure and Stability of Ag-Ni/Cu Films

AgxNi1-x (x=0.0-1.0) films were grown on Cu substrates by electrodeposition method. The films were found to be a nanocrystalline mixture of pure silver and nickel. The grain sizes were determined by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques. The minimal value was 3.3 m for the alloy with 70 wt% concentration of Ni. The stability of the grown films upon heating in ir and in vacuum was examined. An increase in the grain size was found to begin at 150°C.