Submonolayer scaling due to coalescence of subnanometric copper clusters on alumina

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Abstract
The dynamic scaling of cluster size distribution in submonolayer Volmer-Weber growth is demonstrated in the case of copper deposited on alumina, in the subnanometric size range. This scaling is explained by the coalescence of copper clusters, as in breath figures due to the condensation of liquid droplets. We show that extended x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy at the Cu K edge can be used to determine, as a function of deposition time, the growth law of the mean cluster size, in the radius range 2–10 Å. This growth law, which can be fitted by a power law with an exponent 1.2, is fairly well reproduced by a purely stochastic coalescence model. © 1996 The American Physical Society.