Pre-roughening dynamics on Si(100) stepped surfaces: a study by molecular dynamics

The thermal evolution of steps on Si(100) is well studied and experiment indicates that at temperatures below the roughening transition (i.e. T? 1000 K) the displacements of atoms at the step-edge are the basic factor of this evolution. However the evaluation of the nature and participants of these displacements is beyond experimental observations and a theoretical approach is therefore needed. The problem addressed by this study is the identification of the properties of atomic motions of step-edge atoms and this investigation is performed applying an isothermal Molecular Dynamics simulation method to simple stepped configurations on Si(100). The calculations describe the functional dependence of the motions of step-edge atoms on the step type, size and temperature and on the nature of the interatomic forces. Possible mechanisms of kink formations are suggested. Received 15 February 2002 Published online 13 August 2002