Co-deposition of Atomic Clusters of Different Size and Composition

Abstract

Recent experiments have demonstrated the potential applications of nanoclusters in catalysis,[1,2] biology,[3, 4] and medicine,[ 5] in addition to areas such as electronics[6] and optics.[7] These applications all require the creation of stable arrays of clusters that can withstand the relevant operating environment and maintain their useful properties. In the field of chemistry, gold clusters with diameters ranging from 1 to 6nm have been shown to catalyze the oxidation of carbon monoxide with size-dependent activity,[8] while large silver clusters catalyze the oxidation of ethylene.[9] Many metals have catalytic properties, which raises the question of how combinations of clusters of different size and composition behave in such processes. Moreover, combinations of clusters in a single system could lead to parallel or sequential catalytic processes on a single surface and may open up a host of new cluster applications. The deposition of nanoclusters on a single surface is the subject of continuing development.[ 10] Here, we demonstrate the deposition of films of different nanoclusters with selected size, composition, and density onto amorphous carbon films.