title: Kinetic optimum of volmer-weber growth.
abstract: We find that the molecular beam epitaxy of Fe3Si on GaAs(001) observed by real-time x-ray diffraction begins by the abrupt formation of 3 monolayer (ML) high islands and approaches two-dimensional layer-by-layer growth at a thickness of 7 ML. A surface energy increase is confirmed by ab initio calculations and allows us to identify the growth as a strain-free Volmer-Weber transient. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations incorporating this energy increase correctly reproduce the characteristic x-ray intensity oscillations found in the experiment. Simulations indicate an optimum growth rate for Volmer-Weber growth in between two limits, the appearance of trenches at slow growth and surface roughening at fast growth.
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, D-10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Vladimir M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Kaganer
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jenichen
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shayduk
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riechert