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Height-dependent nucleation and ideal layer by layer growth in Pb/Pb(111)/Si(111)

TitleHeight-dependent nucleation and ideal layer by layer growth in Pb/Pb(111)/Si(111)
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsBinz SM, Hupalo M, Tringides MC
Journal TitlePhysical Review B
Volume78
Pages193407
Date Published11
ISBN Number1098-0121
Accession NumberISI:000261215300024
Keywordsdiffraction, epitaxial-growth, films, interface, LOW-TEMPERATURES, size
Abstract

It has been puzzling why for Pb/Si(111), oscillations have been observed at temperatures as low as 18 K and were found to improve with decreasing temperature. With scanning tunneling microscope we have directly observed this ideal layer by layer growth. A dramatic dependence of the second layer island morphology on island height, expected from quantum size effects (QSE), is also found. Low density of fractal islands on stable vs high density on unstable Pb islands on a mixed height island confirms the role of QSE in kinetics. The low diffusion barrier and the fractal island morphology can explain the unusual layer by layer growth.
URL<Go to ISI>://000261215300024
DOI10.1103/Physrevb.78.193407