On the interpretation of the RHEED intensity oscillations during the growth of vicinal faces

Abstract

A quantitative treatment of the crystallization kinetics in MBE growth of vicinal surfaces results the relation l2=2DsτK between the surface diffusion coefficient Ds, the time τ for a monolayer deposition and the interstep distance l at which the RHEED intensity oscillations disappear. The correction factor K depends on the size and the energy of the two-dimensional critical nucleus and it is estimated to be smaller than 10−2. The currently used interpretation of the RHEED intensity oscillations ignores the correction factor K and, therefore, the calculated values of Ds are several orders of magnitude smaller than its real values. The surface transport during the time of growth interruption is discussed in connection with the tendency to three dimensional growth at every second interface (where a deposition of the material with strong intermolecular bonds starts) of a small period superlattice.