Monotonic and bimodal size distributions of surface nanowires caused by postdeposition annealing

Abstract

Reversible growth of one-dimensional monatomic islands (or nanowires) on the steps of vicinal surfaces has been modeled with the use of the rate equations and the kinetic Monte Carlo technique. It has been found that the size distributions of the islands grown during low-temperature deposition quickly change their shape under postdeposition annealing at higher temperature provided the average island size at the high temperature thermal equilibrium is smaller than that corresponding to the low-temperature island size distribution (ISD). This process of antiripening produces in the course of its evolution bimodal and monotonous ISDs with characteristic shapes distinct from the geometric equilibrium ISD. The fast kinetics associated with this process can be used to weaken the influence of competing processes on the kinetics, thus facilitating an accurate determination of the growth parameters. Experimental setups needed for experimental verification of the theoretical predictions are briefly discussed.