The role of interfacial energy in the development of preferred orientations of silver on silicon

Abstract

Abstract The existence of cusps in the interfacial energy against misorientation curve has been studied for Ag/Si(l00) and Ag/Si(111) interfaces using the modified sphere-plate technique. The following preferred orientations were obtained: Ag(100)//Si(100) with Ag[011]//Si[011], and Ag(111)//Si(111) with Ag[110]//Si[114]. These are the same preferred orientation relationships previously found in studies of thin-film growth and appear to be due to low interfacial energies. In addition, preferred orientations Ag(100)//Si(100), Ag(111)//Si(100) and Ag(111)//Si(111) without any preferred directional alignment were observed. These latter orientations are believed to be the result of the native silicon oxide layer present between silver and the silicon single crystals.