Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
The growth of Ni on Au (100) has been investigated by MBE. It has been found that a Metastable BCT Ni (100) phase is coherent with the substrate up to a thickness of 5 ML. Then a structural transformation analogous to a raartensitic transition occurs, and the structure becomes FCC Ni (110). We show that the interfacial stress is progressively relieved by a high density of stacking faults, as was predicted by Bruinsma and Zangwill for epitaxial overlayers with a large Misfit.