Surface roughening in electrodeposited nickel films on ITO glasses at a low current density

We have studied the kinetic surface roughening of nickel films electrodeposited on ITO glasses at a low current density using atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron and X-ray diffraction. The AFM images of the nickel films exhibited the scaling relations represented by the growth exponent beta = 0.78 +/- 0.03 and the roughness exponent alpha = 0.96 +/- 0.04, which is in good agreement with the prediction by the diffusion-driven growth model. Electron and X-ray diffraction revealed a preferred growth orientation of the electrodeposited nickel films, which gives an explanation for the growth exponent beta greater than 1/2. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.