Molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate transient diffusion during the low-temperature epitaxial growth of thin films of Cu on Cu (100) surfaces. By using a hybrid tight-binding type of potential, the various transient diffusive motions which occurred during deposition were classified and quantitatively compared. The results indicated that the impact cascade-diffusion mechanism played an appreciable role in promoting atomic mobility.

Molecular Dynamics Study of Transient Diffusion Mechanisms in Low-Temperature Epitaxial Growth Y.Yue, Y.K.Ho, Z.Y.Pan: Physical Review B, 1998, 57[11], 6685-8