Grain-boundary and triple-junction structures in nanocrystalline thin films were studied. Amorphous packets with a bright contrast were seen in many grain-boundary junctions, and were considered to form as a result of the relaxation of triple-junction disclinations. The various degrees of relaxation of disclinations led to a variety of grain-boundary structures, and were also responsible for random variations in its lattice parameter in various nanocrystalline grains. It was pointed out that no special features which could be attributed to the nature of the bonding were detected during this study.

Interface Structures in Nanocrystalline Materials. S.Ranganathan, R.Divakar, V.S.Raghunathan: Scripta Materialia, 2001, 44[8-9], 1169–74