Numéro
J. Phys. I France
Volume 6, Numéro 3, March 1996
Page(s) 393 - 401
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jp1:1996164
DOI: 10.1051/jp1:1996164
J. Phys. I France 6 (1996) 393-401

Correlated Istand Nucleation in Layer-by-Layer Growth

E. Somfai, D.E. Wolf and J. Kertész

Theoretische Physik, FB 10, Gerhard Mercator Universität, 47048 Duisburg, Germany



(Received 20 October 1995, received in final form and accepted 9 November 1995)

Abstract
Temporal correlations of nucleation events in layer-by-layer growth are studied by simulating a one dimensional model. In order to focus on fluctuations due to the nucleation process, deposition and diffusion are treated deterministically. The correlations decay algebraically with effective exponents depending on the order of the nucleations in a layer. The autocorrelation function of all nucleation events decay as t-1.35 with time t. In spite of these correlations, the corresponding randomness in the growth process does not lead to a roughening of the surface. The reason is that stochastic nucleation implies only conserved current fluctuations.



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