Volmer-Weber growth mechanism

On highly ordered pyrolytic graphite, HOPG(OOOl) electrodes, no UPD has been detected owing to weak carbon-lead interactions [311]. Deposition occurs by three-dimensional island growth according to Volmer-Weber mechanism. Initial steps are controlled by progressive nucleation on active sites and hemispherical diffusion. 

Tlie formation of condensed 2D Me phases on semiconductor surfaces is less probable due to the weak Meads-S interaction and the special properties of the semiconductor substrate [6.174, 6.175]. Therefore, the formation of 3D Me phases follows the Volmer-Weber or island growth mechanism (cf. Fig. 1.1). 

Three mechanisms are possible in this case and they are related to the two above-mentioned parameters. The first mechanism is the TDC nudeation and growth or Volmer- Weber mechanism. This mechanism is operative when the binding energy between adions of metal M (Madi) and the substrate M, (Madi — M), is larger than that between Madi and metal S, (Madi - S)... 

Copper deposition onto most diffusion barrier materials occurs through Volmer-Weber island growth [1,2], In order to electrochemically deposit continuous thin films it is essential to develop a fundamental understanding of the mechanism of nucleation and growth as a function of solution chemistry and applied potential. In this paper we report on the deposition of Cu on unpattemed TiN surfaces from pyrophosphate solution. 

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.

Ge nanocrystals were formed by electron beam evaporation on SiO2-covered Si substrates. Dependencies of the nanocrystal size, the nanocrystal surface coverage, and sheet resistance of the Ge layer were studied on the evaporation time. The growth mechanism of the nanocrystals is the Volmer-Weber type. The sheet resistance exhibited a power dependence on the nanocrystal size. 

SiO2 covered Si samples with Ge nanocrystals prepared by electron beam evaporation have been studied as a function of evaporation time by AFM and electrical measurements. The evaporation resulted in a thin layer of Ge nanocrystals, and the results suggest that their growth mechanism is of the Volmer-Weber type. Sensitive dependence of the average NC size, NC layer thickness and sheet resistance have been found on the evaporation time. The sheet resistance of the layer exhibited a power dependence on the NC diameter. 

Stranski—Krastanov Often, growth of thin films occurs in the regime between the Volmer—Weber and Frank—van der Merwe mechanisms, in which an initial layer is formed on the substrate, but then 3D island structures form. 

When Sq < 2%, quantum dots are not formed, and the growth of heterostructures proceeds by the layer-by-layer growth mechanism. At very large values of the mismatch parameter the growth follows the Volmer-Weber mechanism. Then the critical wetting layer thickness is less than one monolayer, and the formation of three-dimensional islands occurs directly on the substrate surface. An example of such a system is the InAs/Si system, wfiere = 10.6%. In a system of silicon and chromium the lattice... 

In the case of weak adhesion between the substrate and the depositing crystals only three-dimensional nuclei are formed on the foreign substrate as predicted by Volmer and Weber [1.16]. Depending on the lattice mismatch the 3D nuclei could be more or less internally strained. This mode of epitaxial crystal growth is known as Volmer-Weber mechanism (Figure 1.18a). 

---