9 Simulation of the Early Stages of Growth on a Patterned Substrate

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are used to investigate nucleation of two-dimensional islands on a substrate with nanoscale patterning. The patterned substrate is incorporated into a basic solid-on-solid model by introducing inhomogeneous energy barriers for surface diffusion. Growth on a patterned substrate promotes the spatial ordering of islands, which also leads to a narrow island size distribution. The optimal growth conditions are determined by the length scale of the substrate pattern.