Reflections on the effect of an external flux in surface physics

• Published in: Surface science Vol. 725; p. 122158
• Main Authors: Curiotto, S., Leroy, F., Cheynis, F., Müller, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: 2D Islands; Chemical Sciences; Condensed Matter; Growth; Material chemistry; Materials Science; Physics; Sublimation; Growth; Sublimation; 2D Islands
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/j.susc.2022.122158

•Effect of an external flux on surface dynamics has been studied by KMC and analytical developments.•Excepted for a vicinal surface, generally it is not possible to compensate surface sublimation with a deposition flux.•The dynamic evolution of the area of a 2D island varies with time as t−α.•In presence of an external flux, the value of α is not enough to identify the limiting mechanisms. Sublimating surfaces are out of equilibrium. It has been proposed that sublimation can be compensated by an impinging atomic flux to obtain equilibrium. This work concerns the effect of such an impinging flux on the stability of surfaces in various situations. For this purpose we combine Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations with analytical developments based on the Burton-Cabrera-Frank (BCF) classical theory. We show that a perfect compensation of the sublimation is possible for vicinal surfaces but not when 2D islands are present on a surface. We thus study the effect of an impinging flux on the dynamic of a 2D island on a surface. We show that the 2D island area generally varies with time t as −tα. In absence of any impinging flux the value of the exponent α enables to identify the main mechanism at work (diffusion limited or attachment-detachment limited). On the contrary, in presence of an impinging flux the value of the exponent α is not enough to identify the main mechanism limiting the area change. [Display omitted]