Computational and Experimental Studies Of Grain Growth

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper addresses the validity of the single particle growth law rn-r0n=Kt in describing the formation of 3D grains during the vapor deposition of thin metal films, especially with respect to the value of the exponent n. Computer simulations based on the Huygen’s construction showed that the grain size distribution at full surface coverage did not depend significantly on the specific model chosen for initiating growth from nuclei. The particle size distributions obtained experimentally by STM measurements of thin Au films deposited on glass substrates agreed very well with the simulation results for n=2.