The effect of kinetics in the surface evolution of thin crystalline films

The effect of kinetics on the faceting of crystal surfaces caused by strongly anisotropic surface free energies is shown by numerical simulations. We compare the evolution of a crystal towards its equilibrium shape by surface diffusion and surface diffusion with kinetics and observe a significant slow down of the dynamics. For quantitative studies of surface morphologies this effect is crucial, as kinetics are assumed to play a dominant role in the surface evolution of thin crystalline films. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.