Ab initio study of microscopic processes in the growth of Co on Cu(001)

Pentcheva, Rossitza (2005): Ab initio study of microscopic processes in the growth of Co on Cu(001). In: Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing, Vol. 80, No. 5: pp. 971-975

Abstract

Using density-functional theory we investigate the energetics of various diffusion processes relevant for the heteroepitaxial growth of Co on Cu(001). We focus on how the barrier height depends on the local coordination, the interaction with the substrate and spin-polarization. We determine the temperature at which the different atomistic processes are activated and discuss their implications for the growth morphology. In particular, atomic exchange divides the temperature scale into two distinct regions: At lower temperatures growth proceeds similar to the homoepitaxial case, above the activation temperature of exchange a qualitatively different bimodal surface morphology evolves.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Geosciences > Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences > Crystallography and Materials Science
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics; 500 Science > 540 Chemistry; 500 Science > 550 Earth sciences and geology
• Language: English