Mechanisms and Principles of Epitaxial Growth in Metallic Systems

Epitaxial growth is a crucial process in much of materials science. Technological applications abound, ranging from 'classical' examples such as magnetic recording devices, superconducting thin films and quantum dots, to more 'esoteric' applications in biological systems and nanotechnology. This book provides an overview of accomplishments to date, as well as the challenges that lie ahead. Several chapters indicate that a wide range of experimental techniques yields a wealth of information needed to develop reliable computational models. Measured data includes static features (island distribution, morphology, etc.) as well as dynamics (diffusion of atoms and islands). Contributions address efforts to co-ordinate these experimental observations with computational approaches. Also touched upon are the technological applications of epitaxially grown systems and illustrate the need for a better fundamental understanding of the phenomena. Topics include: alloying and effects of impurities; island distribution; strain and dislocation growth; sputter- and ion-assisted deposition and surface diffusion