Energetic cluster deposition on a dislocation network: Ag-7 on 2 ML Ag/Pt(111)

Mass selected Ag-7 clusters have been deposited at two different impact ene rgies (20 and 95 eV) on a dislocation network formed by evaporating 2 ML of Ag on Pt(1 1 1). The surface has been investigated by low temperature STM as a function of annealing temperature. The clusters adsorption site, stabi lity and ordering depend on impact energies and annealing temperatures. We find that the hcp small triangle and dislocation region of the reconstructe d unit cell form preferred pinning centers at low temperature, at higher te mperature most clusters are situated in the fee hexagon of the unit cell. T he results are compared to experiments with thermal evaporated Ag atoms. (C ) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.