Self-organized growth of Ag islands on Si(111)-(7x7) - optimization of a scanning tunneling microscopy experiment by means of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations

TL;DR

This paper combines experimental STM and theoretical KMC simulations to optimize growth conditions for highly ordered Ag island arrays on Si(111)-(7x7), enhancing understanding of heteroepitaxial self-organization.

Contribution

It introduces an optimized growth protocol based on KMC simulations and experimental validation for Ag islands on Si(111)-(7x7).

Findings

High degree of island ordering achieved experimentally.

KMC simulations effectively predict optimal growth conditions.

Comparison validates the growth model and parameters.

Abstract

A growth model and parameters obtained in our previous experimental (scanning tunneling microscopy, KMC) and theoretical (kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, KMC) studies of Ag/Si(111)-(7x7) heteroepitaxy were used to optimise growth conditions (temperature and deposition rate) for the most ordered self-organized growth of Ag island arrays on the (7x7) reconstructed surface. The conditions were estimated by means of KMC simulations using the preference in occupation of half unit cells (HUCs) of F-type as a criterion of island ordering. Morphology of experimentally prepared island structures was studied by STM. High degree of experimentally obtained island ordering is compared with the simulated data and results are discussed with respect to the model and parameters used at the KMC simulations.