Structure and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline Ni-P prepared by autocatalytic chemical deposition

Crystallisation kinetics and the related magnetisation behaviour of Ni-P and Ni-P/B4C composite thin films prepared by autocatalytic chemical deposition were studied by XRD, SMOKE and VSM. Amorphous and crystalline phase contents, crystallite dimensions and preferred orientations were measured as a function of annealing conditions: crystallisation kinetics and transient Ni content during crystallisation are enhanced by the presence of the dispersoid, crystallite shapes are influenced by the ceramic dispersion. Variations of ferromagnetic phase (Ni) content correlate with thermomagnetic behaviour and grain geometry in related to the coercive behaviour of the films.