Temperature-accelerated dynamics were used to demonstrate the importance of exchange mechanisms in surface diffusion and the growth of simple oxides. Such mechanisms could dominate transport processes, on terraces and steps, during both homo-epitaxial and hetero-epitaxial growth. It was suggested that mixing, which was inevitable when an exchange mechanism was operative, had to be considered when attempting to grow sharp interfaces in oxide nanostructures.

Novel Exchange Mechanisms in the Surface Diffusion of Oxides. D.J.Harris, M.Y.Lavrentiev, J.H.Harding, N.L.Allan, J.A.Purton: Journal of Physics - Condensed Matter, 2004, 16[13], L187-92