TY - JOUR
T1 - Evolution of terrace-width distributions on vicinal surfaces
T2 - Fokker-Planck derivation of the generalized Wigner surmise
AU - Pimpinelli, Alberto
AU - Gebremariam, Hailu
AU - Einstein, T. L.
PY - 2005/12/9
Y1 - 2005/12/9
N2 - We use a Fokker-Planck equation to justify the generalization of the Wigner surmise for the energy-level spacing in quantum systems to the simple expression for the equilibrium terrace-width distribution of steps-with arbitrary-strength repulsions-on a vicinal surface, taking advantage of analogies to one-dimensional models of interacting, spinless fermions. This approach leads to an analytic description of the evolution toward equilibrium of steps from several experimentally relevant initial distributions: step bunches, perfect cleaved crystals, and prequench equilibrated distributions at different temperatures.
AB - We use a Fokker-Planck equation to justify the generalization of the Wigner surmise for the energy-level spacing in quantum systems to the simple expression for the equilibrium terrace-width distribution of steps-with arbitrary-strength repulsions-on a vicinal surface, taking advantage of analogies to one-dimensional models of interacting, spinless fermions. This approach leads to an analytic description of the evolution toward equilibrium of steps from several experimentally relevant initial distributions: step bunches, perfect cleaved crystals, and prequench equilibrated distributions at different temperatures.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.246101
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.246101
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:28844441578
VL - 95
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
SN - 0031-9007
IS - 24
M1 - 246101
ER -