Modeling structural and chemical relaxation at the Al/Si epitaxial interface

Despite a 25% lattice mismatch, single crystal Al(111) films can be grown on Si(111) at room temperature under conventional vacuum conditions using the partially ionized beam deposition technique. Thermodynamic criteria were utilized to examine the stability of the Al/Si interface and the possibility of its stress-induced modification. The optimal interfacial dislocation density was found to be relatively unaffected by temperature and a possible source of the observed interfacial thermal stability.