Abstract

The influence of elastic anisotropy on the critical thickness for the plastic relaxation of epitaxial layers is examined with the help of a coupled discrete-continuum simulation. The latter incorporates a rigorous treatment of the boundary conditions and of mismatch stresses, as well as the elastic properties of a single threading dislocation. Numerical experiments conducted on model Cu/Cu, Cu/Au and Cu/Ni systems with a (001) interface show that, through several distinct effects, elastic anisotropy induces a significant increase in the critical thickness with respect to the values predicted by Matthews et al. The isotropic model of a comparison of the anisotropic critical thicknesses for (001) and (111) interfaces shows that Cu-(111) films on Ni substrates are about 50% 'harder' than (001) films. This feature is discussed in relation to the strength of thin metallic films.

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