Leapfrog-induced selective faceting in the growth of missing-row (1 1 0) surfaces

• Published in: Chemical physics letters Vol. 398; no. 1; pp. 50 - 55
• Main Authors: Hontinfinde, F., Videcoq, A., Montalenti, F., Ferrando, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-11-2004
• ISSN: 0009-2614; 1873-4448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2004.09.008

We show by Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations that the leapfrog diffusion mechanism leads to a selective faceting and to a non-monotonic behavior of the roughness during the epitaxial growth of missing-row (1
1
0) surfaces. At intermediate temperatures, (3
3
1) and (1
1
1) nanofacets are formed in equal proportions, while at high temperatures the surface presents almost only (1
1
1) facets. An analytical formula for the onset temperature of the selective faceting is derived.