title: Bimodal island size distribution in heteroepitaxial growth.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Chinta
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Headrick