THE ROLE OF GEOMETRIC CONSIDERATIONS IN THE DIAMOND-CUBIC BORON-NITRIDE HETEROEPITAXIAL SYSTEM

We report the methods and results of a theoretical study of the diamond-cubic boron nitride [BN(cub] heteroepitaxial system. We introduce a general, geometric reciprocal space technique for evaluating candidate epitaxial configurations, and a novel system of essentially geometric criteria to order them from most to least likely to occur. In the diamond-BN(cub) system, it is found that low index like planes require a relatively small strain of 1.37% from bulk parameters. The unlike epitaxial configuration which pairs diamond{100} with BN(cub){221} and yields two-dimensional coincidence with the same strain is favored above other low index mixed configurations. The essentially geometric nature of this epitaxial system is highlighted.