Atomic Structure of Interfaces in Mazed Au Bicrystals

Abstract

ABSTRACTThin films of {111} Au have been grown on {111} Ge substrates. The film grows epitaxially in two crystallographically equivalent orientations, (111) and (111). After annealing, the film is removed from the substrate and the resulting bicrystal appears as a maze of domains with faceted boundaries mainly of type {112}. The high density of edge-on interfaces in the films makes them well suited to electron microscopy. In the <111> orientation, the 1.44Å spacing of the {220} lattice planes tests the high resolution capabilities of the latest microscopes.The nature of the Au {111} film contrasts with that of films grown using different materials or different substrates and was found to have a three-dimensional character with the occurrence of extensive twinning on (111) in the plane of the film. Areas were found to thin considerably in the high voltage electron microscope and interfaces in these regions were analyzed and rigid body translations across the facets measured. The existence of distinct rigid body translations across neighboring facets is of particular interest.