Identification of key parameters by comparing experimental and simulated growth of vapor-deposited amorphous Zr65Al7.5Cu27.5 films

Scanning tunneling microscopy growth studies on vapor-deposited amorphous Z r65Al7.5Cu27.5 films are analyzed to identify the dominant surface structur e forming mechanisms. Qualitative and-concerning the scaling behavior of su rface roughness and height-difference-correlation functions-also quantitati ve agreement of the experimental results with numerical simulations of a Mo nte Carlo model and a continuum model can be achieved. Curvature-induced su rface diffusion, adatom concentration triggered surface diffusion, and geom etrical effects can be identified to be the key parameters for the experime ntally observed surface morphology. Some discrepancies, especially in the l ate stages of growth, remain, but can be explained qualitatively by additio nal effects, such as tip convolution or by the limitations of the approxima tions in the model assumptions. [S0163-1829(99)15247-0].