Definition of "epitaxial"

It should be noted that a high temperature anneal in Ar, H2, or high vacuum is a well established pre-epitaxial growth step by which a native oxide film is removed to obtain a good quality epitaxial layer […].

1994, D. M. Lee, D. Ruprecht, D. Hymes, W. Huber, “Surface Characterization of Heat Treated Silicon Wafers”, in H[oward] R. Huff, W. Bergholz, K[ōji] Sumino, editors, Semiconductor Silicon/1994: Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Silicon Materials Science and Technology (Electronics Division Proceedings; 94-10), The Electrochemical Society, page 241