Coalescence dynamics of 3D islands on weakly-interacting substrates.

ABSTRACT: We use kinetic Monte Carlo simulations and analytical modelling to study coalescence of three-dimensional (3D) nanoscale faceted silver island pairs on weakly-interacting fcc(111) substrates, with and without concurrent supply of mobile adatoms from the vapor phase. Our simulations show that for vapor flux arrival rates F < 1 monolayer/second (ML/s) coalescence manifests itself by one of the islands absorbing the other via sidewall facet migration. This process is mediated by nucleation and growth of two-dimensional (2D) layers on the island facets, while the supply of mobile atoms increases the nucleation probability and shortens the time required for coalescence completion. When F is increased above 1 ML/s, coalescence is predominantly governed by deposition from the vapor phase and the

SUBMITTER: Gervilla V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7005323 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature