The initial nucleation and growth of gold on sodium chloride for substrate temperatures between 123 and 448 K

Abstract

New experimental data are presented for the nucleation and initial stages of growth of gold films vapour deposited onto ultrahigh-vacuum-cleaved sodium chloride substrates. Substrate temperatures ranging from 123 to 448 K were used and this represents the first reported study of this system at temperatures below room temperature. Special attention has been given to eliminating the possibility that the deposits are affected by low energy electrons originating in the vapour source. This essentially descriptive report presents the new data and draws general conclusions as to the mechanisms operative in these experiments. The experimental evidence suggests that cluster mobility is a dominant process even down to a temperature of 133 K.