Equilibrium configurations of partial misfit dislocations in thin-film heterosystems

The energy characteristics of orthogonal rows of partial misfit dislocations with V -shaped stacking faults in thin-film heteroepitaxial systems are analyzed theoretically. It is shown that they should appear only in very thin epitaxial films of nanoscopic thickness and for high values of the mismatch exceeding a definite value. Under these conditions partial misfit dislocations associated with V -shaped stacking faults are typical elements of the defect structure of nanolayer heterosystems. For smaller mismatches and larger films thicknesses total misfit dislocations should form.