title: A kinetic Monte Carlo study on the role of defects and detachment in the formation and growth of In chains on Si(100).
abstract: Deposition on a Si(100) surface and subsequent self-assembly of In atoms into one-dimensional (1D) atomic chains at room temperature is investigated via kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of a suitable atomistic model. Model development is guided by recent experimental observations in which 1D In chains nucleate effectively exclusively at C-type defects, although In atoms can detach from chains. We find that a monotonically decreasing form of the scaled island size distribution (ISD) is consistent with a high defect density which facilitates persistent chain nucleation even at relatively high coverages. The predominance of heterogeneous nucleation may be attributed to several factors including low surface diffusion barriers, a high defect density, and relatively weak In-In binding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan. Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics, University of the Philippines Los Banos, 4031, Philippines.
authors.forename: Marvin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Albao
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Feng-Chuan
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Chuang