NUCLEATION AND GROWTH OF 3-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES IN SUPERSATURATED ARACHIDIC ACID MONOLAYERS - AN ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY STUDY

Nucleation and growth of three-dimensional (3D) micrograins formed dur ing constant surface pressure relaxation of supersaturated arachidic a cid monolayers are studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The morph ologies of the surface layers at different stages of the 2D-3D transfo rmation kinetics are visualized after transfer onto glass substrates. Growth and distribution of the 3D micrograins are quantitatively deter mined by a grain size analysis, providing number, average cross sectio nal area, and height of the grains. The application of the nucleation- growth-collision theory to the experimental data obtained by the grain size analysis of AFM and the Constant surface pressure relaxation ver ifies the limiting case of progressive nucleation.