Martensitic Transformations in Constrained Films

Abstract

Polydomain micro- and nano-structures are natural products of phase transformations in solids. The trend to minimize the energy of internal long-range fields (magnetic, electric or mechanical) leads to the formation of the arrangement of domains of different phases or differently oriented domains of the same phase [1–3]. Transformations of bulk materials usually result in formation of complex irregular polydomain structures, which are difficult to control. However, the advance of thin film technology makes it possible to obtain well- controlled polydomain structures with desirable properties. The objective of this paper is to show how controlled structures of elastic domain in constrained single crystalline layers are developed and how these structures can be designed by engineering of a constraint.