The microscopic origin of compact triangular islands on close-packed surfaces was identified by using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, and energy barriers which had been deduced from density-functional calculations. Contrary to previous analyses, an anisotropy of corner diffusion was found to control the shape of compact islands at intermediate temperatures.

Origin of Compact Triangular Islands in Metal-on-Metal Growth. S.Ovesson, A.Bogicevic, B.I.Lundqvist: Physical Review Letters, 1999, 83[13], 2608-11