Effects of shadowing in oblique-incidence metal(100) epitaxial growth

TL;DR

This paper investigates how shadowing effects influence the morphology of metal (100) epitaxial growth at oblique angles, revealing geometrical explanations for features like mounds, ripples, and facets.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified geometrical model that explains complex surface features and transitions in oblique metal epitaxial growth.

Findings

Shadowing causes transition from mounds to ripples.

Formation of (111) facets is key to ripple development.

High-angle growth leads to rod structures with parallel (111) facets.

Abstract

The effects of shadowing in oblique incidence metal (100) epitaxial growth are studied using a simplified model. We find that many of the features observed in Cu(100) growth, including the existence of a transition from anisotropic mounds to ripples perpendicular to the beam, can be explained purely by geometrical effects. We also show that the formation of (111) facets is crucial to the development of ripples at large angles of incidence. A second transition to `rods' with (111) facets oriented parallel to the beam is also found at high deposition angles and film thicknesses.