Thin Films by Metal Nanoclusters : Production, Deposition & Characterization of Metal Nanoclusters Using a Gas Aggregation Source

High quality thin films can be produced by cluster beam deposition, because the impact of cluster beams produce much stronger effects on surface than ion beams with the same total energy. Nano-size metal clusters produced inside a NC 200 gas aggregation source are deposited on a substrate and these cluster films are characterized by different techniques to study: the cluster growth and transport mechanisms inside the cluster source, the cluster size dependence on the temperature inside the cluster forming chamber and at the time of deposition, chemical composition, etc. Analyzing the Ti nano-clusters at various temperature inside the cluster forming chamber, it is observed that the cluster parameters strongly depend on the temperature of the magnetron chamber walls. Molecules of titanium oxides may be nuclei of condensation and accelerate the nucleation process. A theoretical analysis based on experimental results helps to describe various stages of cluster evolution from their formation up to the deposition on the substrate and provides estimations for parameters of the processes involving clusters.