Mounding instability and incoherent surface kinetics

Mounding instability in a conserved growth from vapor is analyzed within the framework of adatom kinetics on the growing surface. The analysis shows that depending on the local structure of the surface, kinetics of adatoms may vary, leading to disjoint regions in the sense of a continuum description. This is manifested particularly under the conditions of instability. Mounds grow on these disjoint regions and their lateral growth is governed by the flux of adatoms hopping across the steps in the downward direction. Asymptotically ln t dependence is expected in (1+1) dimensions. Simulation results confirm the prediction. Growth in (2+1) dimensions is also discussed.