High-resolution investigation of metal nanoparticle growth on an insulating surface

Jeffrey M. Mativetsky, Shawn Fostner, Sarah A. Burke, and Peter Grutter
Phys. Rev. B 80, 045430 – Published 31 July 2009

Abstract

The three-dimensional nanoparticle morphology and the nanoparticle-substrate relationship during the submonolayer growth of three metals (gold, tantalum, and palladium) on the alkali halide KBr (001) surface is investigated by combining in situ high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy and ex situ transmission electron microscopy approaches. Highly varied growth behavior between the metals is revealed. Gold produces nearly spherical multiply twinned nanoparticles at room temperature and an increasing number of epitaxial particles at elevated temperatures. In contrast, the tantalum grows as relatively flat fractal particles, despite the square symmetry of the substrate lattice, a condition which normally precludes fractal growth. The tantalum also exhibits a strong affinity for KBr surface steps, leading to one-dimensional chains of nanoparticles. The deposition of palladium results in the creation of protruding substrate distortions and monolayer-high rectangular KBr islands in addition to the growth of palladium nanoparticles. It is hypothesized that the unusual growth observed in the palladium-KBr system is caused by the interdiffusion of palladium under the KBr surface. The range of growth behavior in the three systems is described in terms of the surface and interface energies, yielding bounds on the metal/KBr interface energies.

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  • Received 22 April 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.045430

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Jeffrey M. Mativetsky*, Shawn Fostner, Sarah A. Burke, and Peter Grutter

  • Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada H3A 2T8

  • *Present address: Institut de Science et d’Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS)–CNRS 7006, Université de Strasbourg, 8 allée Gaspard Monge, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
  • Present address: Department of Physics, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-7300, USA.

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Issue

Vol. 80, Iss. 4 — 15 July 2009

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