The {111}/{100} interface in cubic materials and related systems

The {111}/{100} interface in cubic materials is one of the most widely studied interfaces. This paper compiles the observations of this interface in a wide range of metal, semiconductor and ceramic systems prepared by various processing techniques. The stability of the {111}/{100} interface is critically studied using the present models for predicting interfacial energy. Since this interface has been observed in a wide variety of systems, it serves as a benchmark for predicting interface stability in solids, in general. The mechanisms and models which have been used to explain why this interface is so common are found to be very system specific, i.e. they are dependent on the processing conditions, chemistry and bonding at the surface, etc. However, the fact that low-index planes are parallel at this interface appears to be the important common factor favoring this interface in all the different systems. Since the favorability of this interface does not depend on the interatomic bonding within the material, it is concluded that short-range interactions determine the stability of this interface.