Elastic Behavior of Interfaces

Abstract

A large body of work on epitaxial thin films has focused on controlling interfacial structure, particularly on preventing formation of interface dislocations which can lead to diffusion and electrical breakdown in semiconductor devices [1]. However, in other types of interfacial materials, dislocations might actually be desirable for controlling or enhancing certain mechanical properties, such as toughness and ductility. In this section we illustrate — by means of atomistic computer simulations — the important role of the atomic structure and, in particular, misfit dislocations in the elastic behavior of metallic interface materials. In particular, we review atomic-level simulations that elucidate the causes of the anomalous elastic behavior of thin films and composition-modulated superlattice materials. (For earlier reviews, see Refs. [2] and [3].)