Investigation of equilibration and growth of stepped surfaces by kinetic Monte Carlo method in one dimenson

In this thesis study, the equilibration and in the case of a particle flux to the surface, the growth of a one dimensional semiconductor surface of various initial shapes are investigated by kinetic Monte Carlo method. The initial shapes that are considered are "V" and sine shapes that are commonly used in experimental studies. In this study the initial surface is assumed to consist of atomic height steps separated by terraces. In Monte Carlo simulations, the following processes are considered: the diffusion of free particles on the surface, the detachment of a particle from a step edge to a terrace in front of the terrace or to a terrace above the step, the attachment of a particle from a terrace (above or in front of the step) to a step. The effect the barrier energies associated with these processes on the surface profile is investigated. The effect of the extra energy barrier a particle must overcome in order to join a step edge from the upper terrace, known as Ehrlich-Schwoebell barrier is also taken into account. The equilibration of various initial shapes at various temperatures is investigated. Moreover, the effect of particle interaction energies on the surface profile and on the evolution of the surface are also investigated. In the case of a particle flux to the surface, the surface profile and its growth kinetics are investigated at various temperatures and flux values.