Thin Film Deposition and Growth Processes by Ionized Cluster Beams

Atomic scale imaging by STM and TEM of the initial stages of film growth of Ag and Au on graphite substrates indicate that the film nucleation processes are markedly different for ionized cluster beam (ICB) and molecular beam (MBE) deposition. Recent results on measurements of cluster size and formation of epitaxial metal-semiconductor layers by ICB are also discussed.