X-ray diffraction investigations on evaporated iron films

Abstract

The structure of thin iron films of thickness about 1500 Å was studied by means of X-ray diffraction analysis. Evaporation and X-ray examination were carried out in the 10 −10 Torr range without exposing the films to the atmosphere using a recently developed ultrahigh vacuum diffraction chamber. The films were deposited onto glass substrates at a rate of 10 Å min −1 at room temperature and were subsequently annealed at 320°C. They show a (110) fibre texture with a mean crystallite size of the (110)-oriented crystals that was distincly smaller than the film thickness. The lattice parameter was found to be always less than the corresponding value for a bulk iron standard, which can be ascribed to the formation of thermally induced strains.