Simulation of nucleation and initial growth of thin films on metal surface

The atomic processes of nucleation and initial growth of thin films on metal surfaces are simulated by Monte Carlo method, using realistic growth model and physical parameters. The effects of adatoms evaporation from the substrate and diffusion along the edge of the islands are included in the simulation model. It is shown that the compact structure of Fe island grows on Fe(001) surface over the wide range of temperatures fi om 250 to 2000 K, which is consistent with the nucleation theory. The simulation results not only nicely reproduce the experiments of thin film growth at intermediate temperature, but also predict the growth situations of thin films at high temperature.