Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
A new GaAs semiempirical potential energy function which utilizes both two-body and three-body contributions has been used to evaluate the surface energy and surface stress tensor for the (111) and (001)(As-terminated) surfaces as well as for ledges on the (001) surface. Both surface and ledge reconstruction patterns appear to be driven by stress tensor considerations and a long range ledge-ledge interaction arises via the stress tensor. The impact of this finding on two dimensional cluster formation and nucleation at the growing surface is very substantial.