Electron microdiffraction of faulted regions in Co-Cr and Co-Ni-Cr thin films

The planar defects which are commonly observed in deposited Co-Cr and Co-Ni-Cr magnetic thin films have been characterized by electron microdiffraction and trace analysis. It was unambiguously shown that these planar defects are (0001) stacking faults, which are thought to be formed to reduce the growth stress of the film during deposition.