First-principles calculations showed that the effect of external strain on surface diffusion was inherently related to the intrinsic surface stress induced by the adatom along its diffusion pathways. A simple generic method was demonstrated for the a priori quantitative prediction of how an external strain would alter surface diffusion on any given surface; based upon calculations of the surface-stress tensors of the unstrained surface.

Simple Generic Method for Predicting the Effect of Strain on Surface Diffusion. D.J.Shu, F.Liu, X.G.Gong: Physical Review B, 2001, 64[24], 245410 (4pp)