title: Decay of silicon mounds: scaling laws and description with continuum step parameters
abstract: The decay of mounds about a dozen layers high on the Si(111)-(7x7) surface has been measured quantitatively by scanning tunneling microscopy and compared with analytic predictions for the power-law dependence on time predicted for a step-mediated decay mechanism. Conformably, we find an exponent 1/4 associated with the (3D) decay of the mound height and exponent 1/3 associated with the (2D) decay of top-layer islands. Using parameters from a continuum step model, we capture the essence of the kinetics. Qualitative features distinguish these mounds from multilayer islands found on metals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Quantum Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 Japan.
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ichimiya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Einstein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uwaha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe