EVOLUTION OF FAR-FROM-EQUILIBRIUM NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY CLUSTER-STEP AND CLUSTER-CLUSTER COALESCENCE IN METAL-FILMS

Scanning tunneling microscopy experiments reveal the formation of a va riety of geometrically exotic nanostructures following submonolayer de position of Ag on Ag(100). These result from the diffusion of large Ag clusters, and their subsequent ''collision'' and coalescence with ext ended step edges, and with other clusters. Relaxation of these far-fro m-equilibrium step-edge configurations is monitored to determine rates for restructuring versus local geometry and feature size. This behavi or is analyzed with lattice-gas model simulations to elucidate the und erlying atomistic mass transport processes.