THICKNESS DEPENDENCE OF THE MORPHOLOGY OF ULTRATHIN QUENCH CONDENSED GOLD-FILMS

We have studied, using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy, the morp hology of ultrathin quench condensed Au films in the thickness range i n which they first become electrically continuous. With increasing thi ckness, the film evolves from a smooth and nearly featureless morpholo gy, to a single layer of nanoclusters, to a loose pack of multiple lay ers of nanoclusters. This evolution depends only weakly on the substra te material and preparation. We compare our results to previously prop osed models of quench condensed film structure.