Surface island formation with localized stresses

Motivated by recently reported experimental observations, the role of surface structures in the formation of surface islands by the Asaro–Tiller–Grinfeld–Srolovitz instability was investigated via computer simulations using the phase field method. These structures caused a spontaneous ordering in the form of a wavelike marching of surface islands during instability. The simulation results were used to explain a particular feature of the previously reported experimental observations, namely the existence of regular bands of nanoislands on yttria-stabilized zirconia/gadolinia-doped ceria heteroepitaxial surfaces.