Modelling the size of nitrogen c(2x2) islands on Cu(001) with elastic multisite interactions

Abstract

An extended elastic eigenvector approach for adatom interactions is applied to model nitrogen c(2x2) atom islands on Cu(001). Oscillating interactions between adatom monomers or dimers are considered. Attractive pair interactions of adatoms are able to describe agglomeration but fail to explain the size of islands. Multisite interactions created by dimers, however, can explain the size of islands if an interaction parameter is adjusted properly. Finite size islands are formed when repulsive monomer interactions are balanced by attractive monomer-dimer interactions.A simple model of nearest neighbor attraction and s−3 repulsion is used as an example for the interaction parameter search.Previous experimental studies have shown that in the low coverage region nitrogen atoms agglomerate to isolated square islands of about 5 nm × 5 nm size with a c(2x2) structure. With increasing coverage those islands form regular patterns but do not touch below about 0.4 monolayers. Previous experiments and calculations have shown that the square island pattern show significant elastic effects.Different adatom structures within the nitrogen islands have been analyzed, a dimer step model is able to reproduce the experimentally found island size. This model requires a molecular bond between nitrogen adatoms forming dimers. The model is also used to compute elastic interactions between islands and to check it against the experimentally found island pattern.Shortcomings and limitations of the model are discussed and open questions are formulated.