Cobalt films were electrodeposited at room temperature on polycrystalline gold substrates, using three-electrode system. The investigated films were 14 mu m and 23 mu m in thickness, as determined by cross-sectional views of the specimens with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphological structure of the films was revealed by SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM), while the magnetic structure was observed with magnetic force microscopy (MFM). SEM studies showed that the surface morphology of the films consisted of elevations and cavities in the form of stripes, of the order of 100 mu m in width, running in the direction parallel to the direction of the current flow during the electrodeposition process. There were also some cracks on the surface of the films. More detailed AFM observations revealed that the morphological structure was composed of nanocrystalline grains, with average sizes of (100 +/- 10) nm and (130 +/- 20) nm for the films 14 mu m and 23 mu m thick, respectively. MFM investigations showed the presence of maze domains with magnetization perpendicular to the film plane. The magnetic domains had average sizes of (360 +/- 20) nm and (480 +/- 30) nm for the films 14 mu m and 23 mu m thick, respectively. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.