Thin Film Strain Simulator

Atom Information

Click on a film atom (colored layer) to see its details.

Understanding Strain in Thin Films

Strain in thin films arises from the lattice mismatch between the grown film material and the underlying substrate. When a thin film is deposited epitaxially (atom by atom in an ordered way) onto a substrate with a different natural atomic spacing (lattice constant), the initial layers of the film are forced to conform to the substrate's spacing.

• If the film's natural lattice constant is larger than the substrate's, the film atoms are squeezed together, resulting in compressive strain (visualized in shades of red).
• If the film's natural lattice constant is smaller than the substrate's, the film atoms are stretched apart, resulting in tensile strain (visualized in shades of blue).

This strain can significantly alter the material's properties. The amount of strain is typically quantified as:
Strain = (Actual Spacing - Natural Spacing) / Natural Spacing

In this simulation, the film (e.g., LCMO) has a natural lattice constant of 3.885 Å. LSAT substrate has a lattice constant of 3.868 Å (causing compressive strain in the film). STO substrate has a lattice constant of 3.905 Å (causing tensile strain in the film).