The structure of zirconium silicide (orthorhombic C49, a = 0.369nm, b = 1.47nm, c = 0.366nm) thin films was investigated using high‐resolution electron microscopy. The crystals were heavily faulted on the (010) plane, with an average distance between faults of 1.6 nm. The fault was found to be a π/2‐rotation twin around the b-axis, with the habit plane lying between two silicon layers. The crystals contained an equal number of <a>- and <c>-oriented slabs, thus giving rise to a strained lattice having an average a = c lattice parameter. On the basis of elasticity calculations, the fault energy was deduced to be of the order of 5mJ/m2. This low energy explained the tendency to form polytypes which were mostly disordered, although some ordered sequences were favored at short range.

Polytype Formation in Zirconium Silicon Thin Films. A.Bourret, F.M.D’Heurle, F.K.Le Goues,A.Charai: Journal of Applied Physics, 1990, 67[1], 241-6