DIFFUSION MECHANISMS AT FCC METAL-SURFACES - EMBEDDED-ATOM METHOD CALCULATIONS

Recent development in theoretical investigations using computer simulation techniques and the embedded atom method (EAM) on diffusion processes critical to nucleation and growth of thin films at fee metal surfaces is reviewed. Through these investigations, interactions between adatoms and substrate, adatoms and steps, and clusters and substrate and the effect of these interactions on dynamic diffusion processes are further understood. The results from these theoretical investigations are generally consistent with available experimental data and have provided explanations for some experimental observations. Some predictions made a few years ago from these studies have been confirmed by the latest experiments.