Effect of Au Deposition Rate on the Gold Droplet Velocity on Si(111) and Si(011) Surfaces (Monte Carlo Simulation)

Abstract

Herein, Monte Carlo simulation of gold droplets motion on Si(111) and Si(011) surfaces during the gold deposition is carried out. The influence of gold deposition rate F on the Au–Si droplet velocity on the silicon surfaces with (111) and (011) orientations is analyzed. On the vicinal (111) surface, the droplet moves with almost constant velocity, while, on the (011) surface, the droplet velocity decreases as the Au deposition rate increases. It is demonstrated that the droplet velocity dependence on the gold deposition rate is determined by the droplet size change. The etching anisotropy of substrates with different orientations leads to different shapes of an etch pit under the droplet on Si(111) and Si(011) surfaces. This results in differences in the droplet velocity depending on the gold deposition rate on (111) and (011) surfaces. The feature of the droplet motion on the Si(011) surface is demonstrated: the droplets are able to merge due to the possibility of motion in two opposite directions.