Biaxial strain effects on adatom surface diffusion on tungsten from first principles

Using first-principles electronic structure calculations, the energy barriers for diffusion mechanisms of adatoms on the tungsten (W) (001) and (110) surfaces under externally applied biaxial strain fields are determined. Adatoms move either by hopping on the surface or by an exchange process with a surface atom, which is found to be completed in one step (direct exchange), or via the formation of a surface crowdion (crowdion-mediated exchange). As a result of the compact atomic stacking, hopping is found to be the major diffusion mechanism on the W(110) surface, irrespective of the surface strain state. On the other hand, the main diffusion mechanism on the less compact W(001) surface is found to be a competition between direct exchange and crowdion-mediated exchange, depending on the magnitude of the surface biaxial strain. Results of the model reveal that, if surface crowdions form, they will be highly mobile and migrate anisotropically. A microscopic explanation is presented by analyzing the charge density associated with surface crowdions. A mechanism diagram for atomic surface diffusion on the W(001) indicates that the diffusion direction and its rate can both be modulated by an applied biaxial strain. Migration volumes for the three mechanisms are calculated, and the significance of the results to the understanding of surface evolution under plasma or other energetic ion bombardment is highlighted.