Abstract
The interface structure of MBE grown Nb films on sapphire substrates was studied using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray reflectivity measurements. We find that the diffuse X-ray scattering measured on these films can be attributed to a soliton-type lattice deformation due to the presence of misfit dislocations in the interface. The proposed atomistic picture of the interface is consistent with high resolution TEM results by Mayer et al. © 1992.