Studies of the Facetting of the Polished (100) Face of CaF2

The present paper deals with studies of the facetting of the polished (100) surface of CaF2 during annealing and growth in UHV using low energy electron diffraction (LEED), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). First morphological modifications of the polished surfaces become visible at temperatures of T = 874 K. Surfaces annealed at T = 974 K exhibit a micro‐roughening with pyramidal protrusions and corresponding depressions. LEED studies indicate the evolution of {111} facets. Reflexes from the (100) surface are not seen. After growth of about 660 monolayers of CaF2 at T = 1093 K and a saturation ratio S = 33 from the vapor phase, larger pyramid‐like or hip roof‐like crystallites are developed. The results of AFM height profiles as well as of the LEED investigations indicate again the formation of {111} facets as proved by their angles of 54.7° with the base (100) surface. This shows that the crystallites are homoepitaxially grown on the underlying CaF2 substrate.