EVALUATION OF THE GROWTH-BEHAVIOR OF GOLD FILM SURFACES EVAPORATION-DEPOSITED ON MICA UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

A systematic AFM study of gold films deposited on mica substrates unde r a range of selected conditions reveals the evolution of the surface morphology of the films as a function of growth temperature, film thic kness, and deposition rate. Scaling analysis shows that the growth beh aviour of the surfaces of these films can be considered as self-affine fractals. The observed topography follows island-type (3D) growth pro cesses in the majority of cases with a roughness exponent, alpha, in t he range 0.24-0.75, or quasi-2D island growth in the remainder with al pha = 1.19 or 1.45. In the latter cases, however, the two gold films g rown under the particular conditions used reflect typical growth model s expressing a high roughness exponent, well consistent with theoretic al prediction.