Mh. Schaffner et al., An ultrahigh vacuum sputter source for in situ deposition of size-selectedclusters: Ag on graphite, J PHYS D, 31(22), 1998, pp. 3177-3184
The investigation of supported size-selected clusters by different surface
science techniques requires stringent ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions dur
ing cluster deposition especially at low temperatures. The existing high-en
ergy sputter sources used for cluster production in general do not fulfil t
his demand. We therefore have developed, built and tested a new fully bakea
ble ultrahigh vacuum-compatible version of the cluster source CORDIS (Cold
Reflex Discharge ion Source). As a first application, we present ultraviole
t photoemission spectra (UPS) of size-selected Ag, (n = 1...5) clusters gen
erated by this new cluster source and deposited on highly oriented pyrolyti
c graphite (HOPG). We show evidence for cluster diffusion and island format
ion even down to low temperature (T = 70 K). These islands display a polycr
ystalline structure. After a short annealing, they are transformed into Ag
films with (111) surface orientation.