Abstract
Au plate crystals were prepared on iron substrate by means of electroless plating using sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent and their microstructure was investigated by direct electron microscopy and electron diffraction.
The results obtained were as follows:
1) Two kinds of rotational moiré patterns were observed in the Au plate crystals. One pattern was observed on the subboundary of the crystals, and the other was observed covering fine particles which had grown up on the crystals. In the stage of crystal growth, the stress due to lattice defects in the crystals was relaxed by the rotation of these particles.
2) Electroless plated Au plate crystals contained many micro-twins which contributed to relax the stress. These micro-twins were formed in the initial stage of crystal growth. The width of micro-twins increased with the thickness of the crystals, but the length was independent of the thickness.
