Fractal-mound growth of pentacene thin films

Abstract

The growth mechanism of pentacene film formation on Si O2 substrate was investigated with a combination of atomic force microscopy measurements and numerical modeling. In addition to the diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) that has already been shown to govern the growth of the ordered pentacene thin films, it is shown here that the Schwoebel barrier effect steps in and disrupts the desired epitaxial growth for the subsequent layers, leading to mound growth. The terraces of the growing mounds have a fractal dimension of 1.6, indicating a lateral DLA shape. This growth morphology thus combines horizontal DLA-like growth with vertical mound growth. © 2006 The American Physical Society.