Effect of substrate temperature on the structure of Ag–Cd condensates

Ag–6.0wt.% Cd condensates of 100μm thickness were produced by an electron beam physical vapor deposition technique on substrates, which were at temperatures of 150–650°C. It is shown that substrate temperature influences not only the microstructure of the condensates, but also their grain substructure; so, twinning of grains is observed in the condensates deposited at substrate temperatures below the critical temperature of 300°C. The thickness of the twin domains tends to decrease down to nano-scale with a decrease in the substrate temperature. The microhardness of the condensates with nano-twinned grains is several times higher as compared to that of the condensates showing no twins in the grains.