Abstract
The dynamics and coarsening of [Formula presented] islands on Si(111) surfaces are studied in real time with photoelectron emission microscopy. A significant fraction of events are observed in which nearby islands move attractively toward each other and subsequently coalesce. It is proposed that attractive island migration is due to the growth-decay flow of the island edges driven by a nonuniform surface concentration around the islands. The local surface concentration is induced by the neighboring islands. This coarsening mechanism should significantly affect the evolution of the island distribution.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 4 |
Number of pages | 1 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 90 |
Issue number | 13 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2003 |