Domain epitaxy: A unified paradigm for thin film growth

TLDR: In this paper, a unified model for thin film epitaxy where single crystal films with small and large lattice misfits are grown by domain matching epitaxy (DME) is presented.

Abstract: We present a unified model for thin film epitaxy where single crystal films with small and large lattice misfits are grown by domain matching epitaxy (DME). The DME involves matching of lattice planes between the film and the substrate having similar crystal symmetry. In this framework, the conventional lattice matching epitaxy becomes a special case where a matching of lattice constants or the same planes is involved with a small misfit of less than 7%–8%. In large lattice mismatch systems, we show that epitaxial growth of thin films is possible by matching of domains where integral multiples of major lattice planes match across the interface. We illustrate this concept with atomic-level details in the TiN/Si(100) with 3/4 matching, the AlN/Si(100)with 4/5 matching, and the ZnO/α−Al2O3(0001) with 6/7 matching of major planes across the film/substrate interface. By varying the domain size, which is equal to intregral multiple of lattice planes, in a periodic fashion, it is possible to accommodate addition...