The island size-distribution after sub-monolayer deposition of Si onto (111) exhibited pronounced peaks at so-called magic sizes. Scanning tunnelling microscopy during growth permitted the direct study of the influence of surface reconstruction upon growth kinetics. The lateral growth of rows having the width of the 7 x 7 reconstruction unit cell led to kinetic stabilization of the magic islands.

Magic islands in Si/Si(111) homoepitaxy B.Voigtländer, M.Kästner, P.Smilauer: Physical Review Letters, 1998, 81[4], 858-61