It was pointed out that quantitative surface diffusion coefficients for clustering systems were of great importance for thin-film growth applications. Here, the first determinations of the activation energy for surface diffusion on Stranski-Krastanov layers in a technologically important heterosystem were reported. The findings were based upon previously published independent measurements of the activation energy for cluster growth and for cluster formation from a free adatom concentration. For a Stranski-Krastanov layer of Ge on Si(100), an equivalent coverage of 3.08 monolayers was deduced, together with an activation energy (for surface diffusion) of 0.84eV.

M.Zinke-Allmang, S.Stoyanov: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 1990, 29[10], L1884-7