Competing Classical and Quantum Effects in Shape Relaxation of a Metallic Island

Hiroshi Okamoto, Dongmin Chen, and Toshishige Yamada

Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 256101 – Published 27 November 2002

Abstract

Pb islands grown on a Si substrate transform at room temperature from a flattop facet geometry into an unusual ring shape. The volume-preserving mass transport is catalyzed by the electrical field from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope. The ring morphology results from the competing classical and quantum effects in the shape relaxation. The latter is enhanced by the large anisotropy of the effective mass, and leads to a sequential strip-flow growth on alternating strips of the same facet defined by substrate steps, showing its dynamical impact on the stability of a nanostructure.

Received 30 May 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.256101

Authors & Affiliations

Hiroshi Okamoto^1,*, Dongmin Chen^1,†, and Toshishige Yamada²

¹The Rowland Institute at Harvard, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
²NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035

^*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic address: chen@rowland.harvard.edu
^†Present address: Physik-Institut, University Zurich, Switzerland.

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Vol. 89, Iss. 25 — 16 December 2002

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