Molecular dynamics study of Al atom and Al-55 cluster deposition on Al substrates

We studied aluminum cluster deposition using by molecular dynamics simulati on. The interaction between Al atoms nas calculated using by the tight-bind ing potential. We found the reason, in the case of cluster deposition, the FCC structure rearrangement occurs easily on the surface. Since the collisi on time between a cluster and the substrate is longer than that between a s ingle atom and the surface, the substrate receives the thermal energy from energetic clusters during a long period and the thermal energy dissipates s lowly. The thermal energy in the case of cluster deposition maintains a hig her temperature longer than that in the case of atom deposition and leads t o the self-annealing effect. Therefore, in the case of cluster deposition, self-annealing plays a very important role in the surface structure rearran gement.