Abstract

The texture of vapor deposits changes from the orientation that places the lowest surface energy crystal facets ({111} for fcc, {110} or {112} for bcc, and basal planes for hcp) parallel to the substrate under the condition of low atom or ion concentration adjacent to the substrate to the orientation that places the higher energy crystal facets or the less densely populated atomic planes parallel to the substrate with increasing atom or ion concentration adjacent to the substrate. The bcc metals which have high melting temperatures and low vapor pressures tend to assume the orientation which places the lowest surface energy crystal facets parallel to the substrate under most evaporating conditions. The microstructure, surface topography and preferred orientation are interrelated. For fcc deposits, the [110] texture is related to columnar structure and rough surface of grooved asperities, whereas the [111] texture gives rise to the smoother surface.