Critical surface roughening

Abstract

Various models for the structure of crystal surfaces are reviewed. The critical roughening transition which is present in the two dimensional mean field model used to treat adsorbed layers, is not present in the multi level mean field or pair approximation models, but is present in low temperature expansion results and in computer simulation. Experimental data on melt growth indicate that the critical roughening temperature is higher than predicted, whereas vapour growth results indicate that it is lower than predicted. Growth rate curves have been generated for a variety of surface temperatures and surface conditions.