Stranski-Krastanov film growth mode

Frank-van der Merwe growth mode (film formation) Layer-by-layer growth where there is strong interaction between the depositing atoms and the substrate. Complete coverage of the substrate is attained with a few monolayer film thickness. See also Volmer-Weber (island) growth Stranski-Krastanov (pseudomorphic) growth. 

Figure 10.5. The three modes of growth of films (a) Frank and van der Merwe s monolayer (two-dimensional) mode (b) the Volmer-Weber three-dimensional mode (c) the Stranski-Krastanov mode involving two-dimensional growth followed by three-dimensional growth.

In practice, uniform films are obtained for only a limited number of film-substrate material combinations (17). The more common experience is that the deposited material forms 3D clusters. The clusters may form directly on the bare substrate, in the Volmer-Weber growth mode, or on top of a very thin but uniform film of the deposit, the Stranski-Krastanov growth mode. We now discuss a method for determining the equilibrium configuration of the deposited material. 

Growth of Sio.gGco.i films on Si(l 0 0) was conducted using the Ge(SiH3)4 gaseous precursor. In situ real-time LEEM observations indicated that the Stranski-Krastanov growth mode was also in operation in this case. AFM and XTEM images of films... 

Figure 2.23. Growth of metal overlayers can occur in three different modes. Shown here is the behavior of the ratio of substrate and adsorbate Auger signals as a function of the deposition time for films that grow by the Volmer-Weber, Frank-van der Merwe, and Stranski-Krastanov types of mechanisms.

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