The migration of Si atoms on (100) was studied by analyzing, using a Monte Carlo method, the islands which formed during deposition and by comparing the simulations with experimental data for temperatures ranging from 350 to 500K. It was shown that the temperature dependence of the experimental island number density could be reproduced by making a minimal number of assumptions. This model also reproduced many experimentally observed phenomena very well; such as the preferred formation of chains with an odd number of dimers, the preferential ending of dimer chains over the dimer rows of the substrate, and the formation of various domains.

J.L.Iguain, H.O.Mártin, C.M.Aldao: Physical Review B, 1996, 54[12], 8751-5