Can oxidation prevent nucleation studies of indium cluster deposition in a classical vacuum system?

Abstract
To determine if the first stages of growth of indium deposits obtained by low-energy cluster beam deposition (LECBD) can be studied despite the oxidation of the smallest in supported aggregates, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) with high spatial resolution and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) experiments have been carried out. According to the analysis of the experimental results, a surface oxidation of In supported aggregates occurs during transfer into air between the deposition and the analysis systems. The oxidation of the deposits obtained after transfer through air may be neglected for a first analysis of TEM results to study nucleation and growth of indium aggregates.