A continuum phase-field model was used to study the phase separation of a binary epilayer grown onto the surface of a solid with a sub-surface dislocation array. It was found that there was an interesting competition between the contributions, to pattern formation, which arose from non-uniform surface stresses and buried dislocations. Numerical simulations demonstrated that various well-ordered composition patterns could be achieved. Their sizes, shapes and spatial order were controllable over broad ranges.

Spontaneous Ordering of Composition Pattern in an Epitaxial Monolayer by Sub-Surface Dislocation Array. Y.Ni, L.H.He: Thin Solid Films, 2003, 440[1-2], 285-92