Response to Comment on ' Twin Symmetry Texture of Energetically Condensed 2 Niobium Thin Films on Sapphire Substrate' [J. Appl. Phys. 110, 033523(2011)]
Welander commented that in our article [J. Appl. Phys. 110, 033523(2011)] , Zhao et al claim to have found a new three-dimensional (3D) relationship for niobium-on-sapphire epitaxy. Welander might have misunderstood the purpose of our article, which was to show that energetic condensation of Nb on sapphire drives crystal growth that is quite distinct from the type of epitaxy encountered in lower energy deposition. Welander is correct about the misidentified crystal-directions in the top-view sapphire lattice (Fig.4[ref.1]). He is also correct about the misorientation of the pole figures in Fig4[ref.1]. In Fig.1 of this response, we have corrected these errors. Perhaps because of these errors, Welander misconstrued our discussion of the Nb crystal growth as claiming a new 3D registry. That was not our intention. Rather, we wished to highlight the role of energetic condensation that drives low-defect crystal growth by a combination of non-equilibrium sub-plantation that disturbs the substrate lattice and thermal annealing that annihilates defects and promotes large-grain crystal growth.
- Research Organization:
- Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-06OR23177
- OSTI ID:
- 1054159
- Report Number(s):
- JLAB-ACC-12-1500; DOE/OR/23177-2026
- Journal Information:
- J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 112, Issue 01
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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