{11̄0}〈110〉 edge dislocations in YSZ films grown on (100) MgO by PLD

Pulsed laser deposition was used to grow thin films of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) on (100) MgO substrates. This system proves to be an interesting example of relationships between interfaces and extrinsic dislocations in thin films of YSZ. Plan-view transmission electron microscopy specimens of YSZ films were prepared by conventional dimpling and ion milling techniques. The two sets of moire fringes seen in the TEM micrograph are evidence of a continuous and aligned YSZ film. Selected-area diffraction revealed a cube-on-cube alignment with the [010] and [001] directions of YSZ and MgO. The YSZ film contained numerous edge dislocations running in the [010] and [001] directions.