Lecture 6.

Surface diffusion

6-1. Surface diffusion: s (diffusion length), Ds (diffusion coefficient)

1
- Diffusion length s ~ Ds,  s

BCF theory “The Growth of crystals and the equilibrium structure

of their surface” W.K. Burton, N. Cabrera, F.C. Frank

s 2 = Ds   s .....(1) Ds : diffusion coefficient

 s : mean residence time
for simple molecules ,

 E 
Ds = a 2   ' exp  − s  .....(2)
 kT 

 E 
1  s =   exp  − d  .....(3)
 kT 
Es : activation energy between two neighbouring equilibrium positions

a : distance from each other

Ed : evaporation energy from the surface to vapor

 ,  ' : frequency factor

order of atomic frequency of vibration (~ 1013 s −1 ) for monoatomic

assuming  ' ~ 

 Ed − E s 
s = a  exp  
 2kT 

2
6-2. Crystal Growth – Surface Diffusion Model
(J. Appl. Phys. 75(2), 850(1994), J. Cryst. Growth 99, 482(1990)

Surface Diffusion rate : Fick’s 1st Law

dns ( y )
J s = − Ds  .....(1) Ds : diffusion coefficient
dy
 s : mean residence time
ns : surface density of adatom
Continuity equation

d 2 ns ( y ) n
− Ds  = J − s .....(2)
dy 2
s

steps : perfect sinks for the incoming adatoms

ns
B.C.) y =  o / 2, ns = nso  (= ) = 1 at steps  : supersaturation ratio
nso

cosh( y / s )
Then, ns ( y ) = J   s + (nso − J   s ) .....(3)
cosh(o / 2s )

 E − Es 
1
Where s = ( Ds   s )2 = a  exp  d  .....(4) diffusion length on " step − free " surface
 2kT 

3
 dns ( y ) n sinh( y / s )
from (1) J s ( y ) = − Ds  = s ( J − so ) .....(5)
dy  s cosh(o / 2s )

step velocity

J s ( y) 2s  nso   o 
 step = 2 = J −  tanh   .....(6)
no y=
o no  s   2s 
2
no : the density of adatom sites on the surface

Growth rate

h
R =  step  tan  =  step 
o

2h  s  nso   o 
= J −  tanh   .....(7)
no  o  s   2s 

o h n 
if <<
1 , then R =  J − so 
2s no  s 

소두

4
Growth mod e depends on  max

 max >  crit : two − dimensional nucleation

 max <  crit : step − flow

s  E − Es 
s = a  exp  d 
 2kT 

1000/T (K-1)

5
6-3. Surface diffusion measurements

Growth modes

o : terrace width

s : diffusion length of adatom

o

o > s : 2 − D nucleation  RHEED intensity oscillation

o < s : no nucleation  no RHEED intensity oscillation

 Ns  Ns
s 2 = D   = D    =
 J Ga  J Ga

time required to cover monolayer

D : diffusion coefficient
N s : number of surface site
J Ga : flux of Ga

6
Then

J 
( )
D = s 2  Ga   D evaluated by measuring T
 Ns 
D(T ) at which oscillations disappear
 E 
D = Do  exp  − s  at different Ga fluxes
 kT 