not shown the electrolyte solution 3 is aqueous based and is comprised of fe 2 and one or more other metal cations such as ni 2 and co 2 that are added as chloride and or sulfate salts boric acid h 3 bo 3 may be added to buffer the electrolyte solution 3 and thereby maintain a ph in the range of 2 0 to 4 0 other additives may be employed to optimize the performance of the electrolyte solution for example saccharin can be used as a stress reducing agent and sodium lauryl sulfate may serve as a surfactant in one embodiment the electrolyte solution 3 is mechanically agitated by a rotating paddle or the like during the electroplating process furthermore either a direct current dc or pulsed dc mode may be used with a duty ratio of about 0 4 to 0 6 and a cycle time of about 100 ms to supply a current that powers the electroplating process there is a counter electrode anode 4 and a working electrode also known as a cathode 5 immersed or otherwise positioned in the electrolyte solution 3 when a conife or nife magnetic layer is electroplated the anode 4 is preferably co or ni and a positive potential is applied thereto in an embodiment where a feco alloy is electroplated the anode 4 may be comprised of co the cathode 5 may be a dimensionally.