Characterization of [001] tilt boundaries produced by epitaxial growth on bicrystalline substrates of NaCl

A new technique is developed wherein [001] bicrystalline thin films of gold or silver are produced directly by vapor deposition and subsequent epitaxial growth on [001] bicrystalline substrates of NaCl. It is demonstrated that angles of misorientation in the substrates are replicated in these films and that essential characteristics of the grain boundary, such as preferred inclination and dislocation misfit structure, are transmitted to these films. Since boundary misorientation and substrate surface may be preselected, this technique, in principle, may be extended to any type of grain boundary normal to any crystallographic surface that can be produced by epitaxial growth, without necessity of a separate bonding operation.