We propose a novel island nucleation and growth model explicitly including transient (ballistic) mobility of the monomers deposited at rate F, assumed to be in a hot precursor state before thermalizing. In limiting regimes, corresponding to fast (diffusive) and slow (ballistic) thermalization, the island density N obeys scaling N∝F(α). In between is found a rich, complex behavior, with various distinctive scaling regimes, characterized by effective exponents α(eff) and activation energies that we compute exactly. Application to N(F,T) of recent organic-molecule deposition experiments yields an excellent fit.
This paper modestly expands an invited talk at ISSS-8 with the same title. After reviewing the relevant interactions between adsorbates on substrates with metallic surface states [especially Cu(111)], it focuses on organic adsorbates. Of particular interest are those which form honeycomb lattices with pores of various sizes. The nature of the confined states derived from the surface-state electrons is discussed as their effect on admolecules inside the pores.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.