ON THE STABILITY OF CRYSTAL-GROWTH

We investigate properties of solid-on-solid models for crystal growth, involving general microscopic rates of capture of atoms by the crystal surface and of escape of atoms. The rates in this Markov process influence the stability of the growing surface. We prove, for various different ranges of the rate parameters, stability (i.e., ergodicity) and instability (i.e., nullity) of the growth process. Symmetry properties of the process, such as reversibility, dynamic reversibility, and reflection invariance, are proved or disproved under various conditions. We give a measure of surface smoothness that distinguishes between stable and unstable growth. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation.