Crystal symmetry, step-edge diffusion and unstable growth

dc.creatorPoliti, Paolo
dc.creatorKrug, Joachim
dc.date1999-08-10
dc.date1999-10-28
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T06:24:04Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T06:24:04Z
dc.descriptionWe study the effect of crystal symmetry and step-edge diffusion on the surface current governing the evolution of a growing crystal surface. We find there are two possible contributions to anisotropic currents, which both lead to the destabilization of the flat surface: terrace current (j_t), which is parallel to the surface slope, and step current (j_s), which has components parallel (j_pa) and perpendicular (j_pe) to the slope. On a high-symmetry surface, terrace and step currents are generically singular at zero slope, and this does not allow to perform the standard linear stability analysis. As far as a one-dimensional profile is considered, (j_pe) is irrelevant and (j_pa) suggests that mound sides align along [110] and [1-10] axes. On a vicinal surface, (j_s) destabilizes against step bunching; its effect against step meandering depends on the step orientation, in agreement with the recent findings by O.Pierre-Louis et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 3661 (1999)].
dc.description7 pages, 3 embedded EPS figures. Added a final section and a list of symbols. Accepted for publication in Surface Science
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/9908152
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/9908152
dc.identifierSurface Sci. 446, 89-97 (2000)
dc.identifierdoi:10.1016/S0039-6028(99)01104-8
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/96421
dc.subjectMaterials Science
dc.titleCrystal symmetry, step-edge diffusion and unstable growth
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