Temperature-dependent nucleation and capture-zone scaling of C60 on silicon oxide

► We deposit submonolayer C60 on thin SiO2 to characterize its initial nucleation. ► We analyze film capture zones using gamma and generalized Wigner distributions. ► We find critical nucleus sizes i between stable monomers and dimers for 293-483 K. ► With increasing temperature, i first rises, then falls. ► Surface defects appear to play an important role in this system.