Growth kinetics of Al clusters in the gas phase produced by a magnetron-sputtering source

A magnetron-sputtering (MagS) cluster source was used to produce metal clusters of different size distributions by varying individual source parameters. Selectivity of the size of the Al clusters was observed and the mass distribution presents wide-range controllability by the MagS-source, which enables experimental determination of the growth process of Al clusters. By implementing the extended Smoluchowski rate equation, here we propose an interpretation of the cluster-growth kinetics in the gas phase environment. A collision-dependent growing time domain is demonstrated. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.