A bimodal size distribution of two dimensional islands is inferred during interface formation in heteroepitaxial growth of Bismuth Ferrite on (001) oriented SrTiO3 by sputter deposition. Features observed by in-situ x-ray scattering are explained by a model where coalescence of islands determines the growth kinetics with negligible surface diffusion on SrTiO3. Small clusters maintain a compact shape as they coalesce, while clusters beyond a critical size impinge to form large irregular connected islands and a population of smaller clusters forms in the spaces between the larger ones.
@article{arxiv.1401.7643,
title = {Bimodal island size distribution in heteroepitaxial growth},
author = {P. V. Chinta and R. L. Headrick},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1401.7643},
year = {2014}
}
Comments
4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett