MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS STUDY OF TRANSIENT-DIFFUSION MECHANISMS IN LOW-TEMPERATURE EPITAXIAL-GROWTH

This paper investigates the transient-diffusion process in low-tempera ture epitaxial growth of thin-film Cu on the Cu(100) surface with mole cular-dynamics simulations. By using a hybrid tight-binding-like poten tial, we have classified and made a quantitative comparison for the va rious transient-diffusion motions occurring during deposition. The sta tistics indicate that the impact cascade-diffusion mechanism plays a n oticeable role in promoting atomic mobility. And the observed diffract ion-intensity oscillations show that a quasi-layer-by layer growth in the initial stage may take place for temperatures as low as 100 K.