Phase Field Modelling of Submonolayer Epitaxial Growth

TL;DR

This paper uses a continuum phase field model to simulate submonolayer epitaxial growth, revealing how island size distribution and density scale under different conditions, with results aligning with experiments but showing discrepancies in total island density scaling.

Contribution

It introduces a phase field modeling approach to submonolayer epitaxial growth, analyzing scaling behaviors and comparing results with other methods and experiments.

Findings

Island size distribution follows scaling laws

Reversible aggregation effects become prominent with larger capillary length

Total island density scaling does not match known theoretical results

Abstract

We report simulations of submonolayer epitaxial growth using a continuum phase field model. The island density and the island size distribution both show scaling behavior. When the capillary length is small, the island size distribution is consistent with irreversible aggregation kinetics. As the capillary length increases, the island size distribution reflects the effects of reversible aggregation. These results are in quantitative agreement with other simulation methods and with experiments. However, the scaling of the island total density does not agree with known results. The reasons are traced to the mechanisms of island nucleation and aggregation in the phase field model.