We propose a kinetic model to describe the temperature dependence of the shape of islands formed during submonolayer epitaxy on anisotropic metal surfaces. Our model reveals that "anisotropic corner rounding" is the key atomic process responsible for a transition in island shape, from chain structures at lower temperatures, to compact islands at higher temperatures. Exploiting data for the temperature and flux scaling of the island density, we analyze such behavior observed experimentally in Cu/Pd(110) epitaxy, estimating activation barriers of 0.45 and 0.3 eV for anisotropic terrace diffusion, and 0.65 eV for the slow cornerrounding process. Disciplines Chemistry | Mathematics CommentsThis article is from Physical Review B 56 (1997) We propose a kinetic model to describe the temperature dependence of the shape of islands formed during submonolayer epitaxy on anisotropic metal surfaces. Our model reveals that ''anisotropic corner rounding'' is the key atomic process responsible for a transition in island shape, from chain structures at lower temperatures, to compact islands at higher temperatures. Exploiting data for the temperature and flux scaling of the island density, we analyze such behavior observed experimentally in Cu/Pd͑110͒ epitaxy, estimating activation barriers of 0.45 and 0.3 eV for anisotropic terrace diffusion, and 0.65 eV for the slow corner-rounding process.

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