Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9829679 | Journal of Crystal Growth | 2005 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
Epitaxial thin films of α-cristobalite were synthesized on c-plane sapphire using the chemical solution deposition method. The films grow with (1 0 1) orientation at temperatures as low as 800 °C and crystallize only in the presence of Na, either by intentional doping or contamination. X-ray diffraction reveals an in-plane orientation of [1¯01]cris||[101¯0]sapp, with three cristobalite in-plane variants which correspond to the three-fold symmetry of the sapphire. The use of crystal chemistry concepts enabled the accurate prediction of the in-plane orientation between the two structures prior to their experimental determination. To that end, we propose that the interface consists of silicon-centered tetrahedrons that properly coordinate all neighboring cations and provide charge balance between the two structures.
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Authors
Scott A. Jewhurst, David Andeen, F.F. Lange,