THE EPITAXIAL-GROWTH OF VANADIUM ON CU(111) SUBSTRATES

Vanadium was electron beam deposited to thicknesses in the range 2-10 nm onto single-crystal Cu{111} films. Deposition was carried out in a vacuum of 2 x 10(-9) Torr, and the substrate temperatures T(s) were 25, 100, 200, 240 and 300-degrees-C. The orientation relationships and growth morphology of the deposits were examined by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. For T(s) = 25-degrees-C, Nishiyama-Wassermann orientations occurred. An orientation relationship close to Kurdjumov-Sachs was observed at T(s) = 240 and 300-degrees-C. Atomic row matching considerations suggest that this orientation in fact represents a second-order epitaxy corresponding to V{110}<113>//Cu{111}<112>. The appearance of this orientation is apparently linked to a change from layer-like to island growth.