A Kinetic Monte Carlo method for the simulation of heteroepitaxial growth Original Research Article

We introduce a simulation algorithm which allows the off-lattice simulation of various phenomena observed in heteroepitaxial growth (see e.g. [Politi et al., Phys. Rep. 324 (2000) 271–404]) like a critical layer thickness for the appearance of misfit dislocations, or self-assembled island formation in 1+1 dimensions. The only parameters of the model are deposition flux, simulation temperature and an interaction potential between the particles of the system.