Strained Islands Evolution during Thin Film Heteroepitaxy with Planar and Pre-patterned Substrates

ORAL

Abstract

Evolution of strained islands or quantum dots is analyzed via constructing a continuum elasticity model based on the second order perturbation theory. The resulting nonlinear dynamic equation for film morphology also incorporates the film-substrate wetting effect. In order to study the formation and evolution of strained islands on a planar substrate for different film-substrate misfit strain, we analyze the time dependent behavior of the structure factor for surface heights, its moments and the surface roughness, and obtain the detailed dynamic process of island coarsening and stabilization. We also study the formation of these nano structures on a nonplanar patterned substrate. The properties of islands formed are highly affected and controlled by the periodicity and amplitude of the pre-defined substrate patterns, as shown in our analytic and numerical results.

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Authors

  • Champika Gigiriwala Gamage

    Wayne State University

  • Oleg Popov

    Miami University, Chemistry Department, Penn State Univ., University Park, PA 16802, unaffiliated, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210, Department of Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, University of Cincinnati, Miami University of Ohio, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Wayne State University, University of Tennessee, National Technical University of Athens, The University of Tennessee, Kettering Univeristy, University of Michigan-Dearborn, FNAL, Harvard University, California State University, Department of Physics, Kettering University, Flint, Michigan, Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Applied Sciences Inc., Cedarville, Ohio, Oakland University, University of Stockholm, Arizona State University