Kinetically suppressed Ostwald ripening of Ge/Si(100) hut clusters
M.R. McKay, J.A. Venables and J. Drucker
Phys. Rev. Lett. 101 (2008) 216104
Abstract
Low area density Ge/Si(100) hut cluster ensembles are stable during
days-long growth temperature anneals. Real-time scanning tunneling
microscopy shows that all islands grow slowly at a decreasing rate
throughout the anneal. Island growth depletes the Ge supersaturation
that, in turn, reduces the island growth rate. A mean-field facet
nucleation and growth model quantitatively predicts the observed
growth rate. It shows that Ostwald ripening is kinetically
suppressed for Ge supersaturations high enough to support a critical
nucleus size less than the smallest facet.
Latest version of this document: 18th June 2009.