Modeling epitaxial growth of binary alloy nanostructures on a weakly interacting substrate

S. Heinrichs, W. Dieterich, and P. Maass
Phys. Rev. B 75, 085437 – Published 28 February 2007

Abstract

Stochastic growth of binary alloys on a weakly interacting substrate is studied by kinetic Monte Carlo simulation. The underlying lattice model relates to fcc alloys, and the kinetics are based on deposition, atomic migration with bond-breaking processes, and exchange processes mediated by nearest neighbor hopping steps. We investigate the interrelation between surface processes and the emerging nonequilibrium structure at and below the growing surface under conditions where atoms in the bulk can be regarded as immobile. The parameters of the model are adapted to CoPt3 alloys. Growing nanoclusters exhibit an anisotropic short range order, primarily caused by Pt segregation at the surface. The overall structural anisotropy depends on both Pt surface segregation and cluster shape, and can explain the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) recently measured in CoPt3 nanoclusters on a van der Waals substrate. The onset of L12 ordering in the cluster is induced by surface processes. The same kinetic model is applied also to continuous thin films, which in addition can exhibit a small bulk contribution to PMA.

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  • Received 11 July 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.75.085437

©2007 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

S. Heinrichs1, W. Dieterich1, and P. Maass2

  • 1Fachbereich Physik, Universität Konstanz 78457 Konstanz, Germany
  • 2Technische Universität Ilmenau - Institut für Physik, 98684 Ilmenau, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 75, Iss. 8 — 15 February 2007

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