We introduce a simple two region model where the diffusion constant in a small region around each step on a vicinal surface can differ from that found on the terraces. Steady state results for this model provide a physically suggestive mapping onto kinetic coefficients in the conventional sharp-step model, with a negative coefficient arising from faster diffusion in the step region. A linear stability analysis of the resulting sharp-step model provides a unified and simple interpretation of many experimental results for current-induced step bunching and wandering instabilities on both Si(111) and Si(001) surfaces.
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