A discrete model for particle deposition

Simulation of deposit growth on a two-dimensional substrate was studied bas ed on a new model that tracks individual cubic particles as they form a dep osit structure. The present model is an extension of the classical ballisti c deposition model. Effects of three different parameters were studied. The se include an attraction parameter that is a measure of the particle to par ticle attractions, an interaction length within which the particles are ass umed to influence and be influenced by surrounding particles, and allowed s ticking positions (face-face, edge-edge and corner-corner) that favor parti cular growth directions. Structures with widely varying properties were obt ained using this model. The three parameters were found to have considerabl e effect on the structure including indications of morphological phase tran sformations. A new property of the system (saturated roughness/deposit grow th rate) was identified that can classify the different types of growth int o a single type. (C) 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.