ISSN:
1434-6036
Keywords:
PACS. 68.55.-a Thin film structure morphology - 05.70.Ln Nonequilibrium thermodynamics, irreversible processes - 81.10.Aj Theory and models of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth, crytal morphology and orientation
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Abstract: Two types of mechanisms are proposed for mound coarsening during unstable epitaxial growth: stochastic, due to deposition noise, and deterministic, due to mass currents driven by surface energy differences. Both yield the relation H=(RWL)2 between the typical mound height W, mound size L, and the film thickness H. An analysis of simulations and experimental data shows that the parameter R saturates to a value which discriminates sharply between stochastic ( ) and deterministic ( ) coarsening. We derive a scaling relation between the coarsening exponent 1/z and the mound-height exponent which, for a saturated mound slope, yields .
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s100510050264
Permalink