SELF-ORGANIZATION OF TE CLUSTERS IN NANOFILM BY LOW-ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION

Tellurium cluster-based nanofilms have been prepared for the first tim e by low energy cluster beam deposition (LECBD). The cluster beams are produced by a supersonic jet expansion and inert gas condensation met hod. As the deposition time increases, the Te cluster-aggregates chang e from an incontinuous branch structure to a percolation network and t hen to nanostructured films where the individual clusters remain, indi cating that a critical size of Te clusters exists in the formation of Te films. It is striking that self-organization and structural rearran gements of the Te films have been found after in situ annealing by tra nsmission electron microscopy. A preferred orientation growth of the T e nanofilm may come from anisotropic properties of tellurium thermodyn amics. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.