Crystallographic Investigations of Columnar Grains in Iron Film Evaporated at Oblique Incidence

Abstract

It has been found from X-ray analysis and electron microscopic observation that two types of crystallites with different crystallographic orientations, [100]-(100) and [111]-(1\bar10), constitute the columnar grain structure in iron film evaporated at an incidence angle of 45° . In these orientations, (010) and (1\bar10) planes are parallel to the incidence plane, and [100] lies along the direction of the vapor beam in the former and [111] tilts from the film normal toward the vapor beam by 10° in the latter orientations. It has also been verified that, irrespective of orientation, the axis of the column tilts from the film normal toward the vapor beam direction by about 35° and the top of the column is surrounded by {110} planes. The magnetic anisotropy concerned with crystallographic orientation of columnar grains is briefly discussed.