Structure and chemistry of planar defects in bulk and thin film MoSi2

Atomistic structures, as well as the local chemical compositions of planar defects in bulk and thin film MoSi2, have been characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy combined with nanoprobe energy-dispersive-spectroscopy analysis. Planar defects analysed include stacking faults on (001) in bulk C11(b) MoSi2, stacking faults on (0001) in thin film C40 MoSi2 and twin boundaries in thin film C11(b) MoSi2. Dilatation of the lattice in the direction perpendicular to the fault and Si deficiency are contrast, no significant compositional variation is noted across (0001) stacking faults in thin film C40 MoSi2 and across twin boundaries in thin film C11(b) MoSi2. However, for the latter faults rigid-body displacement of atoms is observed to occur across the twin habit plane in the parallel direction.