RHEED STUDIES OF INTERLAYER DIFFUSION IN THE SUBMONOLAYER GROWTH REGIME ON AG AG(111)/

We have used reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) to st udy the growth of Ag/Ag(111) as a function of temperature T=150-315 K and flux rate F=1/125-1/4800 ML/s by monitoring the decay of the specu lar beam intensity. No oscillations are observed, which is consistent with a 3D growth mode and the existence of a step edge barrier. The in tensity decay is independent of flux rate but depends on temperature. This can be understood in terms of the high diffusion rate on the fini te substrate terraces(similar to 500 Angstrom), which results in break down of the scaling conditions for nucleation and interlayer diffusion from higher to lower terraces.