Island-size scaling in surface deposition processes

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Abstract
Diffusion-mediated nucleation and growth of islands during deposition occurs essentially irreversibly in a variety of systems. We provide a scaling theory for the full island-size distribution, both with the ratio of surface diffusion to deposition rates and with time. Scaling functions and exponents are determined by simulation and explained analytically by an unconventional rate-equation analysis. Experimental tests for theoretical predictions are discussed, including the scaling of superlattice beam profiles for diffraction studies of heteroepitaxial systems.