DEVELOPMENTS AT NIST*** Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are working on the following technology. For further information, contact the: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Office of Technology Partnerships, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2200, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899; Fax: 301-975-3482. This is not an announcement of a contract action or a grant.*** NIST DOCKET NUMBER: 08-001 Title: Superconformal Electrodeposition Of Ni-Fe-Co Magnetic Alloys*** Description: The invention deals with the challenge of void-free filling of recessed surface features on non-planar metallized surfaces with iron group magnetic materials. Specifically, the addition of certain benzimidazole derivatives to a conventional additive-free nickel plating baths, e.g. Watts bath NiS04-NiCli, results in a superconformal deposition growth mode. By superconformal deposition we mean that metal deposition occurs preferentially in recessed surface features, such as patterned trenches and vias, thereby resulting in void-free filling. By appropriate patterning and design a variety of fully consolidated 3-D shapes and geometries can be fabricated. The resulting structures have potential use as micromagnets for microelectromechanical devices as well as active magnetic material components for use in a variety of information storage devices. The process may also be useful in the deposition of Ni and related metals as a precursor to forming silcide contacts in microelectronics.

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