Electrodeposition Transition Metal Alloy Films for Magnetic Thermometry

Knowledge of the temperature distribution within three dimensional volumes is of great importance to applications in many fields, but there does not currently exist a method for microscale temperature measurement throughout a volume. As part of an effort to develop methodology for 3D thermometry, the present work seeks to develop materials and structures with temperature-dependent magnetic properties that provide optimal sensitivity in the 200 K to 400 K range, leveraging previous work which demonstrated compositional control of alloys films by varying the deposition potential.[1] Preliminary room temperature vibrating sample magnetometry measurements on a series of platinum nickel alloy films showed ferromagnetic behavior for samples deposited at more reducing potentials (higher nickel content) and paramagnetic behavior for samples deposited at more positive potentials (higher platinum content). Herein, we will discuss deposition and characterization of these films with an emphasis on factors affecting their temperature-dependent magnetic properties. [1] J. J. Mallett, E. B. Svedberg, J. E. Bonevich, A. J. Shapiro, W. F. Egelhoff, T.P. Moffat, J. Electrochem. Soc., 2008, 155, D1-D9.