SUBSTRATE STRAIN-INDUCED CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC TEXTURE IN SPUTTERED VANADIUM METAL-FILMS

The effects of varying surface strain of glass substrates on the cryst allographic texture of vanadium metal thin films are reported. The str ain on a soda glass surface can be varied as a function of duration of exchanging the Na ions with larger ions, K, Rb, and Cs. The films, wh ich are oriented in the (110) direction on unstrained glasses, pass th rough a region of completely random orientation as the strain on the s ubstrates increases and regain the (110) orientation as substrate stra in relaxation occurs. The magnitude of relaxation and, therefore, the preferred (110) orientation is ion-size dependent. This behavior is du e to the change in total surface energy and provides experimental mean s for demonstrating the effects of surface energy on the crystalline e volution of thin films.