CONVERSION OF THICKNESS DATA OF THIN FILMS WITH VARIABLE LATTICE PARAMETER FROM MONOLAYERS TO ANGSTROMS: AN APPLICATION OF THE EPITAXIAL BAIN PATH

Abstract

A procedure for the conversion of film thicknesses from monolayers to angstroms is presented. It is applicable to thickness data experimentally obtained from strained epitaxial films and based on the concept of the epitaxial Bain path. In particular, the in-plane lattice spacing of the film, such as that obtained with LEED on wedge-shaped samples, is used to determine the perpendicular lattice spacing, which serves for the conversion into angstroms. Omission of the implications of the Bain path concept would yield erroneous results. This conversion was successfully applied to compare experimental data, (given in monolayers), with data found in the literature (given in angstroms).