Non-linear evolution of step meander during growth of a vicinal surface with no desorption

Step meandering due to a deterministic morphological instability on vicinal surfaces during growth is studied. We investigate nonlinear dynamics of a step model with asymmetric step kinetics, terrace and line diffusion, by means of a multiscale analysis. We give the detailed derivation of the highly nonlinear evolution equation on which a brief account has been given [6]. Decomposing the model into driving and relaxational contributions, we give a profound explanation to the origin of the unusual divergent scaling of step meander (where F is the incoming atom flux). A careful numerical analysis indicates that a cellular structure arises where plateaus form, as opposed to spike-like structures reported erroneously in reference [6]. As a robust feature, the amplitude of these cells scales as t ^1/2, regardless of the strength of the Ehrlich-Schwoebel effect, or the presence of line diffusion. A simple ansatz allows to describe analytically the asymptotic regime quantitatively. We show also how sub-dominant terms from multiscale analysis account for the loss of up-down symmetry of the cellular structure. Received 4 May 2000 and Received in final form 8 September 2000     

A morphological study of vicinal surface growth based on a hybrid algorithm

A hybrid algorithm that combines a phase-field model and a lattice gas model evolving according to a kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) simulation scheme is used to investigate the dynamics of vicinal surface growth during vapor phase epitaxy. The algorithm is computationally far more efficient than pure KMC schemes, and this gain in efficiency does not correspond to a loss in information on the kinetics of individual atoms. We present numerical studies on the temperature dependence of macroscopic properties of the growing surface, evaluating the relevant stochastic processes (attachment, detachment, diffusion and island dynamics) as a function of their rates. We show that the temperature at which step flow is replaced by island nucleation depends on incoming flux, diffusion parameters and interstep distance. Moreover, we validate these finding by comparison to experiments and by analytical investigations.     

邻晶面外延生长机制的动力学Monte Carlo模拟

用动力学Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了GaAs(001)邻晶面的外延生长机制.Ehrlich-Schwoebel势垒对邻晶面外延机制有重要的影响.模拟结果显示，低温下Ehrlich-Schwoebel势垒几乎能完全阻止原子向下一台阶面的迁移，高温下原子已能有效地克服势垒的影响并向下一台阶面迁移.在外延生长初期，原子几乎在台阶面上均匀分布.当表面覆盖度达到一定数量后，台阶成核开始.而由于Ehrlich-Schwoebel势垒的存在，在台阶的上侧台阶面上开始有原子的积累，而如果没有Ehrlich-Schwoebel势垒，台阶上侧台阶面上的原子也能被有效地耗尽.Ehrlich-Schwoebel势垒对邻晶面上的外延生长模式有显著的影响，将明显提高达到台阶生长模式的温度. 关键词： 外延生长模式 动力学Monte Carlo Ehrlich-Schwoebel势垒     

Imitative modeling of the evolution of surface structures during crystal growth from a molecular beam

An imitation model of layered crystal growth from a molecular beam is presented which takes account of the random character of the formation of nuclei and the dependence of their growth rate on their mutual positions. The dependence of the form of the oscillations in the intensity of specular reflection of a fast electron beam on the nucleation rate has been studied within the framework of the model presented. The possible causes of oscillation damping have been analyzed in connection with the time evolution of the surface structure. V. D. Kuznetsov Siberian Physicotechnical Institute at Tomsk State University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 103–109, August, 1997.     

On the interpretation of the RHEED intensity oscillations during the growth of vicinal faces

A quantitative treatment of the crystallization kinetics in MBE growth of vicinal surfaces results the relation l ²=2D _sK between the surface diffusion coefficient D _s, the time for a monolayer deposition and the interstep distance l at which the RHEED intensity oscillations disappear. The correction factor K depends on the size and the energy of the two-dimensional critical nucleus and it is estimated to be smaller than 10^–2. The currently used interpretation of the RHEED intensity oscillations ignores the correction factor K and, therefore, the calculated values of D _s are several orders of magnitude smaller than its real values. The surface transport during the time of growth interruption is discussed in connection with the tendency to three dimensional growth at every second interface (where a deposition of the material with strong intermolecular bonds starts) of a small period superlattice.     

"Magic" heteroepitaxial growth on vicinal surfaces

The step period (Lambda) of vicinal surfaces can be used as a new parameter for the control of metallic heteroepitaxial growth. This is evidenced here in the case of Ag/Cu(211). The deposition of 1 monolayer (ML) exhibits a c(2 x 10) superstructure leading to the formation of [111] steps in the Ag adlayer in contrast with the original [100] steps for the Cu substrate. This wetting layer can be viewed as a (133) Ag plane and it will be the starting point for the epitaxial growth. The deposition of 4 ML shows that the thin Ag film results homogeneous and no twins or stacking faults are detected. Moreover, the film grows along the [133] axis which is the orientation that minimizes the misfit between Cu(211) and the Ag film. Thus, the use of a regular stepped substrate allows one to select the crystallographic orientation of the growth and seems to be a way to avoid the creation of stacking faults.     

Metallic thin film growth on vicinal Cu substrates

In this study we have investigated the heteroepitaxial growth of nickel and silver on vicinal copper substrates. Nickel was deposited onto a (211) substrate. The low lattice mismatch between copper and nickel of 2.5% enables epitaxial bidimensional growth in the substrate's orientation, where the strain can be accommodated in the overlaying film. On the contrary, copper and silver have a much larger mismatch of about 13% which usually cannot be accommodated in the film. In general, Ag is known to form alloys or to induce faceting on a stepped Cu surfaces. Here, silver was deposited onto a Cu(311) facet covered with a monatomic layer of NaCl. For the first time we show that Ag can be grown as ultrathin film in the substrates's orientation on a stepped surface using NaCl as a novel surfactant material.     

Kinetic step bunching instability during surface growth

We study the step bunching kinetic instability in a growing crystal surface characterized by anisotropic diffusion. The instability is due to the interplay between the elastic interactions and the alternation of step parameters. This instability is predicted to occur on a vicinal semiconductor surface Si(001) or Ge(001) during epitaxial growth. The maximal growth rate of the step bunching increases like F4, where F is the deposition flux. Our results are complemented with numerical simulations which reveal a coarsening behavior in the long time evolution for the nonlinear step dynamics.     

Persistent step-flow growth of strained films on vicinal substrates

We propose a model of persistent step flow, emphasizing dominant kinetic processes and strain effects. Within this model, we construct a morphological phase diagram, delineating a regime of step flow from regimes of step bunching and island formation. In particular, we predict the existence of concurrent step bunching and island formation, a new growth mode that competes with step flow for phase space, and show that the deposition flux and temperature must be chosen within a window in order to achieve persistent step flow. The model rationalizes the diverse growth modes observed in pulsed laser deposition of SrRuO3 on SrTiO3.     

Growth of thin alumina films on a vicinal NiAl surface

Dramatic changes in the surface morphology have been observed during the oxidation of stepped NiAl(16, 14, 1) by LEED and STM. The initial sequence of identical (1 1 0) terraces is lifted in favor of large, triangular planes, whose mean size is determined by the mismatch-induced stress that accumulates in the thin alumina film. The asymmetry of the original step direction on NiAl(16, 14, 1) with respect to the orientation of the two alumina reflection domains favors the formation of one domain type, for which the stress relief via NiAl step edges is particularly efficient.     

Step-controlled strain relaxation in the vicinal surface epitaxy of nitrides

On-axis and vicinal GaN/AlN/6H-SiC structures grown under identical conditions have been studied by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy to demonstrate the distinctive features of vicinal surface epitaxy (VSE) of nitrides on SiC. In VSE, the epilayers are tilted from the substrate due to the out-of-plane lattice mismatch (Nagai tilts), and the in-plane mismatch strains are more relaxed. The majority of misfit dislocations (MDs) at the vicinal AlN/6H-SiC interface are found to be unpaired partial MDs that are geometrically necessary to correct the stacking sequences from 6H to 2H. This mechanism indicates that it is possible to develop "step-controlled-epitaxy" strategies to control strain relaxation by adjusting the substrate offcut angles.     

Instability and wavelength selection during step flow growth of metal surfaces vicinal to fcc(001)

We study the onset and development of ledge instabilities during growth of vicinal metal surfaces using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. We observe the formation of periodic patterns at [110] close packed step edges on surfaces vicinal to fcc(001) under realistic molecular beam epitaxy conditions. The corresponding wavelength and its temperature dependence are studied in detail. Simulations suggest that the ledge instability on fcc(1,1,m) vicinal surfaces is controlled by the strong kink Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier, with the wavelength determined by dimer nucleation at the step edge. Our results are in agreement with recent continuum theoretical predictions, and experiments on Cu(1,1,17) vicinal surfaces.     

Au island growth on a Si(1 1 1) vicinal surface

Au island nucleation and growth on a Si(1 1 1) 7 × 7 vicinal surface was studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. The surface was prepared to have a regular array of step bunches. Growth temperature and Au coverage were varied in the 255-430 °C substrate temperature range and from 1 to 7 monolayers, respectively. Two kinds of islands are observed on the surface: Au-Si reconstructed islands on the terraces and three-dimensional (3D) islands along the step bunches. Focusing on the latter, the dependence of island density, size and position on substrate temperature and on Au coverage is investigated. At 340 °C and above, hemispherical 3D islands nucleate systematically on the step edges.