Session A12: Focus Session: Steps, Growth, and Smoothing

8:00 AM–10:48 AM, Monday, March 13, 2006
Baltimore Convention Center Room: 304

Sponsoring Units: DMP DCMP
Chair: Mina Yoon, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Abstract ID: BAPS.2006.MAR.A12.12

Abstract: A12.00012 : Mound slope and shape selection during unstable multilayer growth: Exact continuum formulation from a step dynamics model

10:36 AM–10:48 AM

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Authors:

  Jim Evans
    (Iowa State University)

  Maozhi Li
    (Iowa State University)

Multilayer growth is unstable in the presence of a step-edge barrier which leads to the formation of mounds. Mound sides steepen at first, but then often attain a selected slope controlled by such processes as downward funneling. Atomistic modeling is very successful in describing such behavior [1], but continuum PDE formulations are often more efficient and instructive [2]. However, by analysis of a step-dynamics model for mound formation, we show that existing phenomenological PDEs fail to correctly predict mound slopes and shapes [3]. We coarse-grain the step-dynamics models to obtain a correct theory. [1] K.J. Caspersen et al. PRB 65 (2002) 194407; [2] M. Siegert, PRL 81 (1998) 5481; [3] M. Li and J.W. Evans, PRL in press.

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2006.MAR.A12.12