Highly oriented thin oxide films on single crystals of Fe-Si alloys

Under certain oxidation conditions, highly oriented oxide films grow on single crystals of some Fe-Si alloys. A typical two-phase film of this kind was studied in order to reveal the orientational relationships between-Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ on the (001) surface of the substrate. The orientational relationships were determined from reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns where reflections from both oxides were present.The authors are indebted to Ing. B. esták and Ing. S. Kadeková who made possible the preparation of single-crystalline samples of Fe-Si alloys in the Institute of Physics, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences; to Dr. M. Rozsíval (Institute of Solid State Physics, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences) who enabled the authors to use the electron diffraction apparatus; and to Dr. A. Línek (Institute of Solid State Physics, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences) for helpful discussion.