EPITAXY OF SILVER FILMS DEPOSITED ONTO NACL(100) SUBSTRATES DURING ION-BOMBARDMENT

The influence of Ar+ ion bombardment during the growth of thin silver films on NaCl(100) has been investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy. The effects of the experimental parameters silver deposition rate, density of the ion beam and substrate temperature on the epitaxial orientation have been considered. Under intensive ion bombardment during silver condensation the parallel Ag(100)[100]|NaCl(100)[100] orientation is observed at lower substrate temperatures than at normal physical evaporation. Furthermore, in the films deposited at low silver condensation rates, the (100) orientation as well as several accompanying epitaxial orientation relationships, i.e. Ag(110),(310),(411),(211)|NaCl(100), are observed. The influence of the ion bombardment on the appearance of these orientations is considered in terms of damage to the substrate by the impinging ions and differences in the stabilities of differently oriented silver clusters on the NaCl(100) surface. © 1990.