Abstract
Very thin films of YBa2Cu3O7-δ have been formed directly on specially prepared electron-transparent thin-foil substrates of MgO by pulsed-laser deposition and examined using transmission electron microscopy. The moiré fringe pattern visible in the electron micrographs has been used to provide information about film growth and the introduction of defects into the growing film. Individual domains, rotated about the [001] zone axis by small amounts, were detectable in the moiré fringe pattern by rotation of the fringes. In the case of small rotations, the fringe spacing varies only slightly. Individual domains rotated by large amounts, about the [001] zone axis, have been identified by the large variation produced in the moiré fringe spacing. The ability to identify domain rotation through examination of the moiré pattern is a very-fine-scale probe of local misorientations. Furthermore, these rotationally misaligned regions are formed directly at the film/substrate interface during the early stages of film growth. In some regions of the film, discontinuities in the moiré fringe pattern were observed. These discontinuities are indicative of growth-related defects, for example, threading dislocations. It was found that the number density of these defects was apparently reduced in films grown at higher substrate temperatures.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
P. B. Hirsch, A. Howie, R. B. Nicholson, D. W. Pashley and M. J. Whelan, in “Electron Microscopy of Thin Crystals” (Kreiger, Malabar, 1975) pp. 353–87.
J. W. Menter, Adv. Phys. 7 (1958) 328.
G. A. Bassett and D. W. Pashley, J. Inst. Metals 87 (1958–9) 449.
G. A. Bassett, J. W. Menter and D. W. Pashley, Proc. R. Soc. A 246 (1958) 345.
D. W. Pashley, M. J. Stowell, M. H. Jacobs and T. J. Law, Philos. Mag. 10 (1964) 127.
J. W. Matthews and K. Isebeck, ibid. 8 (1963) 469.
J. W. Matthews, ibid. 7 (1962) 915.
Y. Kamiya and R. Uyeda, Acta. Crystallogr. 14 (1961) 70.
G. Honjo and K. Yagi, in “Current Topics in Materials Science”, edited by E. Kaldis, Vol. 6 (North Holland Publishing Co; New York NY, 1980) p. 197.
R. Vincent, Philos. Mag. 19 (1969) 1127.
M. G. Norton, S. R. Summerfelt and C. B. Carter, Appl. Phys. Lett. 56 (1990) 2246.
S. E. Russek, B. H. Moeckly, R. A. Buhrman, J. T. McWhirter, A. J. Sievers, M. G. Norton, L. A. Tietz and C. B. Carter, in “High Temperature Superconductors: Fundamental Properties and Novel Materials Processing”, edited by J. Narayan, C. W. Chu, L. F. Schneemeyer, and D. K. Christen. Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol. 169 (MRS, Pittsburgh PA, 1989) p. 455.
M. G. Norton, S. McKerman and C. B. Carter, Philos. Mag. Lett. 62 (1990) 77.
R. J. Cava, B. Batlogg, R. B. Van Dover, D. W. Murphy, S. Sunshine, T. Siegrist, J. P. Remeika, E. A. Rietman, S. Zahurak and G. P. Espinosa, Phys. Rev. Lett. 58 (1987) 1676.
G. Van Tendeloo, H. W. Zandbergen and S. Amelinckx, Solid State Commun. 63 (1987) 389.
Powder Diffraction File, International Center for Diffraction, Swarthmore, PA.
S. K. Streiffer, B. M. Lairson, C. B. Eom, B. M. Clemens, J. C. Bravman and T. H. Geballe, Phys. Rev. B 43 (1991) 3007.
L. A. Tietz, C. B. Carter, D. K. Lathrop, S. E. Russek and R. A. Buhrman, in “High Temperature Superconductors” edited by M. B. Brodsky, R. C. Dynes, K. Kitazawa, and H. L. Tuller, Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol. 99 (MRS, Pittsburgh PA, 1988) p. 715.
M. G. Norton, L. A. Tietz, C. B. Carter, S. E. Russek, B. H. Moeckly and R. A. Buhrman, in “High Temperature Superconductors: Fundamental Properties and Novel Materials Processing”, edited by J. Narayan, C. W. Chu, L. F. Schneemeyer, and D. K. Christen, Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol. 169 (MRS, 1990) p. 513.
D. A. Porter and K. E. Easterling, in “Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys” (Van Nostrand, New York, 1981) pp. 142–50.
M. G. Norton and C. B. Carter, J. Cryst. Growth 110 (1991) 64.
R. Ramesh, D. Hwang, T. S. Ravi, A. Inam, J. B. Barner, L. Nazar, S.-W. Chan, C. Y. Chen, B. Dutta, T. Venkatesan and X. D. Wu, Appl. Phys. Lett. 56 (1990) 2243.
D. A. Smith, M. F. Chisholm and J. Clabes, ibid. 53 (1988) 2344.
J. W. Edington, in “Practical Electron Microscopy in Materials Science Monograph 3: Interpretation of Transmission Electron Micrographs” (MacMillan Philips Technical Library, Eindhoven, 1975) pp. 80–4.
L. A. Tietz, C. B. Carter, D. K. Lathrop, S. E. Russek, R. A. Buhrman and J. R. Michael, J. Mater. Res. 4 (1989) 1072.
D. W. Pashley, in “Thin Films” (American Society of Metals, Metals Park, OH, 1964) pp. 59–98.
F. R. N. Nabarro, in “Theory of Crystal Dislocations” (Dover, New York, 1987) p. 303.
M. G. Norton and C. B. Carter, in “Proceedings of the Electron Microscopy Society of America”, 50th Annual Meeting, edited by G. W. Bailey, J. Bentley and J. A. Small (San Francisco Press, San Francisco, CA, 1992) p. 236.
J. Geerk, G. Linker and O. Meyer, Mater. Sci. Rep. 4 (1989) 193.
S. J. Pennycook, M. F. Chisholm, D. E. Jesson, R. Feenstra, S. Zhu, X. Y. Zheng and D. J. Lowndes, Phys. C 202 (1992) 1.
U. Dahmen, C. J. D. Hetherington and K. H. Westmacott, in “Proceedings of the XIIth International Congress for Electron Microscopy”, edited by L. D. Peachey and D. B. Williams (San Francisco Press, San Francisco, CA, 1990) p. 338.
H. P. Lang, T. Frey and H.-J. Güntherodt, Europhys. Lett. 15 (1991) 667.
M. G. Norton and C. B. Carter, Phys. C 182 (1991) 30.
D. G. Schlom, D. Anselmetti, J. G. Bednorz, R. F. Broom, A. Catana, T. Frey, Ch. Gerber, H.-J. Güntherodt, H. P. Lang and J. Mannhart, Z. Phys. B 86 (1992) 163.
D. P. Norton, D. H. Lowndes, X.-Y. Zheng, S. Zhu and R. J. Warmack, Phys. Rev. B Rapid Commun. 44 (1991) 9760.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Norton, M.G., Carter, C.B. Moiré patterns and their application to the study of the growth of YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin films. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE 30, 381–389 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354400
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354400