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Publication
Applied Physics Letters
Paper
Asymmetry and shape transitions of epitaxially strained islands on vicinal surfaces
Abstract
We calculate the shapes of epitaxially strained islands on vicinal substrates, within a fully facetted, two-dimensional model. For nonzero miscut, islands first form as asymmetric "half-pyramid" shapes, with no nucleation barrier even in a fully facetted system. As islands grow, they change shape through a series of first-order transitions. The substrate miscut determines what island types occur in the growth sequence; sufficiently large miscut can stabilize qualitatively asymmetric shapes such as "half domes." Our results are summarized in a phase diagram of shape versus island volume and miscut. The results are consistent with available experiments for Ge on Si. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.