Competing classical and quantum effects in shape relaxation of a metallic island

Pb islands grown on a Si substrate transform at room temperature from a flattop facet geometry into an unusual ring shape. The volume-preserving mass transport is catalyzed by the electrical field from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope. The ring morphology results from the competing classical and quantum effects in the shape relaxation. The latter is enhanced by the large anisotropy of the effective mass, and leads to a sequential strip-flow growth on alternating strips of the same facet defined by substrate steps, showing its dynamical impact on the stability of a nanostructure.