Step edge barrier controlled decay of multilayer islands on Cu(111)

Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we have studied the temperature depend ent decay of multilayer Cu islands on Cu(lll). We focus on the normal diffu sion limited decay of small islands on top of large islands where no rapid decay events occur. Using a numerical integration of the analytical express ion for diffusion limited decay, we determine the step edge barrier as a fu nction of temperature. The additional activation barrier for mass transport across the step edge is found to be 0.22 eV. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.