Effects of misfit dislocation array on phase separation during codeposition of binary thin films

Effects of misfit dislocation array on the surface phase separation of binary films codeposited on a lattice mis-matched substrate is studied by using computer simulations of a dynamical continuum model. The model is described in terms of compositional field of the binary film and involves a coupling effect between the compositional field and the dislocation induced stress field. Several two-dimensional simulation results demonstrate that such a coupling might provide a novel process to control the steady state compositional patterns on the surface of phase separating thin film.