Surface stress and thermodynamic nanoscale size selection

Using the Si(111) surface as an example, we show how temperature can be used to tune the size of domains during a surface phase transition. From analysis of the measured stable domain sizes, we determine key material parameters and clarify the close relationship between nucleation and thermodynamic size selection. More generally, the model we developed describes nanoscale self-assembly processes in contact with a reservoir (for example, liquid- or vapor-phase epitaxy).