Initial Stages of Interface Formation: The Influence of Surface Reconstruction

The initial stages of interface formation are crucial for the growth of an overlayer, in particular for ultra-thin films. While growth rate, growth temperature and lattice match are important parameters in molecular beam epitaxy, growth of semiconductor heterostructures always begins on a reconstructed surface. While surface diffusion over macroscopic distances is observed, dramatic changes in the surface diffusion coefficient occur depending on surface reconstruction and preparation, suggesting that the affinity for clustering in this system may be controlled by appropriate choices of growth parameters.