Substrate-mediated interactions on solid surfaces: Theory, experiment, and consequences for thin-film morphology

When two or more atoms bind to a solid surface, the substrate can mediate an interaction between them. In this review, we discuss the origins of this interaction and the theories that describe substrate-mediated interactions, including recent studies with electronic density-functional theory. We summarize the results of experimental studies, in particular those with scanning-tunneling microscopy, aimed at quantifying substrate-mediated interactions. Over the intermediate range, these interactions can be strong enough to influence the ordering of adsorbates at surfaces. We discuss the results of recent studies, employing kinetic Monte Carlo simulations that probe the ramifications of these interactions for the morphology in thin-film epitaxy.