Epitaxial deposits of metals evaporated on salt substrates

Abstract

Expe rim ental daLa and theo retica l considerations re lat ing to the process of epitaxy are rev iewe r!. The case of epitax.v re sul t in g from vapor phase deposition of me t als on rock salt is co nsickre d ill de tail and i t is concluci('d that a factor othe r than best fi t de termines the orientat ion. A mode l for epitaxy in m e tal-rock salt pairs is advanced which involyes ioniza-lio n of the metal atoms on the surface. The epitaxial te mperature is found to be related to the ion ization po tential of the me tal fo r the ioni zation state t o be e xpecte d. It is found that ~he observed orie ntation s of metals on rock sa lt a re those that wo uld be expe cted if s llch an Ion ization process occllrred, tha t is, if the orie ntat io n involved charged ions rathe r t han ne utral atoms.