PROFILE DECAY BY SURFACE-DIFFUSION AT LOW-TEMPERATURE

We describe an efficient Monte Carlo simulation of profile decay via s urface diffusion on a (1 + 1)D square-lattice system with suppressed r oughening. Our algorithm takes advantage of analytical results for a o ne-dimensional random walker and is valid in the low-temperature limit of noninteracting activated walkers. We find that an initially sinuso idal profile decays nonexponentially with a characteristic decay time which increases with the initial amplitude. At a fixed ratio of initia l amplitude to wavelength, the decay time tau increases with wavelengt h lambda as tau approximately lambda3.5+/-0.1. In this model, profile decay arises from irreversible decay of the peak and valley terraces r ather than from step-step interactions.