  Recent experiments have shown that steps on Si(113) surfaces self-organize
into bunches due to a competition between long-range repulsive and short-range
attractive interactions. Using empirical and tight-binding interatomic
potentials, we investigate the physical origin of the short-range attraction,
and report the formation and interaction energies of steps. We find that the
short-range attraction between steps is due to the annihilation of force
monopoles at their edges as they combine to form bunches. Our results for the
strengths of the attractive interactions are consistent with the values
determined from experimental studies on kinetics of faceting.
