Non-Classical Smoothening of Nano-Scale Surface Corrugations

Journal Article · Thu May 20 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Physical Review Letters

OSTI ID:7055

Aziz, Michael J ^[1]; Chason, Eric; Erlebacher, Jonah; Floro, Jerrold A; Sinclair, Michael B

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1. Sandia National Laboratories

We report the first experimental observation of non-classical morphological equilibration of a corrugated crystalline surface. Periodic rippled structures with wavelengths of 290-550 nm were made on Si(OO1) by sputter rippling and then annealed at 650 - 750 °C. In contrast to the classical exponential decay with time, the ripple amplitude, A_{lambda}(t), followed an inverse linear decay, A_{lambda}(t)= A_{lambda}(0)/(1 +k_{lambda}t), agreeing with a prediction of Ozdemir and Zangwill. We measure the activation energy for surface relaxation to be 1.6±0.2 eV, consistent with an interpretation that dimers mediate transport.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 7055
• Report Number(s): SAND99-1287J; ON: DE00007055
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Morphological Changes
Roughness
Silicon