Frank-van der Merwe

Cu deposited onto Ru(0001) at 100K grows in 2-d islands via a Frank-van der Merwe (layer by layer growth) mechanism up to 2 ML. The island sizes but not the basic growth mode are altered by a post-deposition anneal at 900 K. 

Figure 5.1. Scheme of the different mechanisms of growth (a) Frank-van der Merwe, (b) Voimer-Weber and (c) Stranski-Krastanov. The substrate and overlayers are represented by dark grey and light grey shading, respectively. 

All interface tensions are defined as positive and we consider yijw > yiinv in order to intentionally account for anisotropy. This favours 2D growth but does not prioritize the Frank-van der Merwe mechanism over the others. In fact growth is always 2D, as indicated by the BCF model, but depends on the lateral size of the terraces. Small terraces necessarily imply 3D growth. 

Volmer-Weber Frank-van der Merwe Stranski-Krastanov... 

Frank van der Merwe mode The atoms are deposited on the substrate layer by layer. 

In the case of a strong Me-S interaction, the structure and orientation of a Me deposit on top of Me UPD modified S according to the Frank-van der Merwe (cf. Fig. 1.1b) or Stranski-Krastanov mechanisms (cf. Fig. 1.1c) strongly depend on the substrate structure. Independently of crystallographic Me-S lattice misfit, distinct correlations between the epitaxy of a condensed 2D Meads phase and/or 2D Me-S surface alloy phase and the epitaxy of a 3D Me bulk phase can be expected. 

In the case of strong Meads-S interaction, expanded commensurate Meads overlayers as well as one or two close-packed commensurate or incommensurate Meads monolayers can be formed in the UPD range depending on AE (Fig. 6.13). Then, metal deposition in the OPD range follows either the Frank-van der Merwe (Fig. 6.13a) or the Stranski-Krastanov (Fig. 6.13b) growth mechanisms in the absence or presence of significant crystallographic Me-S misfit, respectively. In the first case, a... 

Figure 6.13 Schematic representation of the growth modes in Me fHm formation on S in systems with strong Me-S interaction depending on die ciystaDographic Me-S misfit, /= (do,Me - do,s)/do S- (a) Frank-van der Merwe growth mode (f 0) (b) Stranski-Krastanov growth mode (f 0).

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