Influence of edge diffusion on the growth mode on vicinal surfaces

Growth on vicinal surfaces typically occurs via nucleation and growth of islands or via step flow. In this letter, we present computational results based on an island dynamics model that employs the level-set technique that study the transition between these two competing mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that the rate of diffusion of atoms along step edges is an additional parameter that controls the competition between these mechanisms. We make suggestions about how one might be able to exploit these results experimentally. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.