Phase-Field Modeling of Step Dynamics on Growing Crystal Surface: Step Pinning Induced by Impurities

The step pinning hypothesis is widely accepted as an explanation for the inhabitation of crystal growth by impurity molecules. This hypothesis enables us to evaluate the average step velocity and the critical impurity density above which no step can move on the crystal surface polluted by impurities. The average step velocity and the critical impurity density were obtained analytically in some literature; however, they have not been verified...