Morphological evolution of films composed of energetic and size-selected silver nanocluster ions

In this study, morphologies of as-deposited and rapid thermal annealed films of silver nanoclusters are studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). Size-selected silver nanoclusters, containing 5000 atoms in a cluster, produced by the gas condensation method are deposited on Si substrate for a period of 8 min. In order to get an idea about the melting of clusters, the film is treated by rapid thermal annealing at 200 and 400 °C. The remarkable changes of morphology due to annealing signify a lowering of melting temperature of silver in the form of nanoscale particles.