Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 March 2011
A YNi2B2C thin film deposited on MgO(001) substrate by pulsed laser deposition has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cross-sectional TEM analyses show that the YNi2B2C film grows in the [001] direction. Y2O3 exists not only as an interlayer at the interface of the YNi2B2C thin film and the MgO substrate but occasionally also in the YNi2B2C thin film near the substrate. The orientation relationships between the YNi2B2C thin film, Y2O3 interlayer, and MgO substrate are determined from electron-diffraction patterns to be MgO(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100], YNi2B2C(001)[110] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100, and YNi2B2C(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100 1.5‖ Y2O3(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100 (the numeral above the “parallel” symbol represents the misorientation (in degrees) between the [100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100 directions).