  We present a detailed scanning tunnelling microscopy study which describes
the morphological transition from ripple to dome islands during the growth of
Ge on the vicinal Si(1 1 10) surface . Our experimental results show that the
shape evolution of Ge islands on this surface is markedly different from that
on the flat Si(001) substrate and is accomplished by agglomeration and
coalescence of several ripples. By combining first principle calculations with
continuum elasticity theory, we provide an accurate explanation of our
experimental observations.
