Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of monolayer gold film growth on a graphite substrate

The growth process of a gold thin film, in the sub-monolayer region, on a graphite substrate is studied by means of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Four different kinetic processes are considered, namely, atom deposition, diffusion, evaporation and island nucleation. Close attention is paid to the relationship between the substrate temperature, deposition rate and interaction between neighbouring atoms. The interaction potential between the gold atoms is described by the Sutton-Chen potential, while a modified Lennard-Jones potential is utilized for the gold-carbon interaction. The results indicate that the gold islands become more compact and dense at higher temperatures, whereas a more fractal growth pattern was observed at the lower-temperature regime. Conclusions are drawn on the dependence of the island shape and density on both the substrate temperature and deposition rate. Some reference is made to experimental results. Copyright (C) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.