Bimodal island size distribution in heteroepitaxial growth

ORAL

Abstract

A bimodal size distribution of two dimensional islands is inferred during interface formation in heteroepitaxial growth of Bismuth Ferrite on (001) oriented SrTiO$_3$ by sputter deposition. Features observed by in-situ x-ray scattering are explained by a model where coalescence of islands determines the growth kinetics with negligible surface diffusion on SrTiO$_3$. Small clusters maintain a compact shape as they coalesce, while clusters beyond a critical size impinge to form large irregular connected islands and a population of smaller clusters forms in the spaces between the larger ones.

*This work was supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under DE-FG02-07ER46380.

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Authors

  • R. Headrick

    • Dept. of Physics \& Materials Science, University of Vermont
    • Department of Physics and Materials Science Program, University of Vermont
    • Physics Dept and the Material science program, Univ of Vermont, Burlington, VT
    • Physics Department and the Material Science Program, Univ. of Vermont, Burlington VT

  • Priya Chinta

    • Department of Physics, University of Vermont