Monte Carlo simulation of thin-film growth on a surface with a triangular lattice

Abstract

The thin-film growth process on a triangular lattice surface is studied by a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Four kinetic processes are considered: atom deposition, adatom diffusion, adatom nucleation and adatom reevaporation. We pay close attention to the substrate temperature and the interaction between the adatom and neighboring particles. The interaction energy between the adatom and the neighboring atoms around it is calculated by the Morse potential. The results show that the higher the temperature, the more compact the island. As the temperature is low, the film growth becomes fractal growth. At higher temperature, the island becomes more regular in shape that resembles the surface morphology.