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Phase Field Modelling of Submonolayer Epitaxial Growth

We report simulations of submonolayer epitaxial growth using a continuum phase field model. The island density and the island size distribution both show scaling behavior. When the capillary length is small, the island size distribution is consistent with irreversible aggregation kinetics. As the capillary length increases, the island size distribution reflects the effects of reversible aggregation. These results are in quantitative agreement with other simulation methods and with experiments. However, the scaling of the island total density does not agree with known results. The reasons are traced to the mechanisms of island nucleation and aggregation in the phase field model.