Random deposition of particles of different sizes

TL;DR

This study investigates the surface roughness and porosity resulting from the random deposition of particles of varying sizes, revealing universal scaling behavior consistent with the Villain-Lai-Das Sarma equation.

Contribution

It introduces a model for particle deposition with size variability and analyzes its scaling properties and porosity, extending understanding of surface growth dynamics.

Findings

Surface roughness exhibits three growth regimes over time.

Porosity increases rapidly initially and saturates at long times.

Scaling exponents match those predicted by the Villain-Lai-Das Sarma equation.

Abstract

We study the surface growth generated by the random deposition of particles of different sizes. A model is proposed where the particles are aggregated on an initially flat surface, giving rise to a rough interface and a porous bulk. By using Monte Carlo simulations, a surface has grown by adding particles of different sizes, as well as identical particles on the substrate in (1 + 1) dimensions. In the case of deposition of particles of different sizes, they are selected from a Poisson distribution, where the particle's sizes may vary by one order of magnitude. For the deposition of identical particles, only particles which are larger than one lattice parameter of the substrate are considered. We calculate the usual scaling exponents: the roughness, growth and dynamic exponents $\alpha, \, \beta \,$ and $z$, respectively, as well as, the porosity in the bulk, determining the porosity as a function of the particle size. The results of our simulations show that the roughness evolves in time following three different behaviors. The roughness in the initial times behaves as in the random deposition model. At intermediate times, the surface roughness grows slowly and finally, at long times, it enters into the saturation regime. The bulk formed by depositing large particles reveals a porosity that increases very fast at the initial times, and also reaches a saturation value. Excepting the case where particles have the size of one lattice spacing, we always find that the surface roughness and porosity reach limiting values at long times. Surprisingly, we find that the scaling exponents are the same as those predicted by the Villain-Lai-Das Sarma equation.