QUANTUM EFFECTS ON THE STEP INTERACTION ENERGY AND THE EQUILIBRIUM SHAPE OF CRYSTALS

This paper shows that, due to quantum effects associated with surface states forming standing waves at steps surfaces, the leading term of the surface steps interaction energy near to a facet goes like p(2), where p is the surface slope. This term dominates over the p(3) contribution of the existing theoretical model predictions and therefore the equilibrium shape of the crystal near the flat surface of size x(0) is not singular but goes like (x - x(0))(2).