Growth equations, discrete models, and MBE experiments

J.R. SÁNCHEZ, D.A. MIRABELLA, Y C.M. ALDAO

SURFACE REVIEW AND LETTERS

Año: 2002 vol. 9 p. 1803 - 1808

0218-625X

The question of the validity of the scaling ansatz in discrete deposition models andtheir connection with the scaling exponents of continuum differential equations is addressed.We specifically focus on the scaling properties of the Wolf-Villain type models and, as anextension of this model, on the influence of attractive and repulsive interactions up to secondneighbors on the scaling relation. As an example of technological relevance, we present theevolution of steps in the vicinal (100) surface of Si during deposition at relatively lowtemperatures. We have found that, in general, one should not expect that discrete models, aswell as real crystals, exhibit scaling.