Metastable orientation relationships in thin film Cu-Cr bilayers

Abstract

Metastable orientation relationships (ORs) between Cu and Cr are stabilized via epitaxial thin film deposition, with the initial layer of Cu(001) or Cr(001) grown epitaxially on MgO(001). The Bain OR is observed by x-ray diffraction and scanning/transmission electron microscopy for Cu(001) / Cr(001). In contrast, three Cr/Cu ORs are found for Cr deposition on Cu(001): the Pitsch OR, and two previously unreported ORs related to the Bain and Pitsch ORs, respectively. Ab initio calculations predict the energetics of these metastable ORs, and reveal that the deformation resistance of Cr makes the Bain OR energetically unfavorable when Cr films are deposited on Cu(001). These results show that kinetic constraints imposed by controlling the substrate surface and deposition conditions can lead to metastable interfacial structures.