We have used the kinetic Monte Carlo technique to investigate the intermixing mechanisms during the heteroepitaxial growth of semiconductors. We have shown that the temperature increases the intermixing between the substrate and deposited film, while an increasing growth rate inhibits this intermixing, We have also observed that intermixing is reduced when the energetics becomes unfavorable, i.e. with high lattice mismatches or hard-deposited materials. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.