Diffusion and condensation of adatoms on inhomogeneous rough surfaces

Abstract

We have studied diffusion and condensation of adatoms on surfaces on which we have introduced inhomogeneous roughness by means of electron irradiation. We have constructed the model of the dynamics of adatoms on the surfaces, and demonstrated that the distribution of adatoms strongly depends on the surface roughness. The results suggest that the distribution of adatoms can be controlled by selecting adequate conditions of electron-irradiation. Experimental results were in good agreement with our calculations. We believe that this study is useful for nanofabrication on surfaces.