Nanostructured Materials from Clusters: Synthesis and Properties

Abstract

The low energy cluster beam deposition technique (LECBD) is developed to prepare original nanostructured systems from clusters preformed in the gas phase. The nucleation and growth mechanism specific of the cluster deposits is studied in view to control the nanostructured morphology of the cluster assembled films, especially for future applications to high areal density devices. Examples of the synthesis and properties of metallic nanostructures as well as covalent ones are presented. In the first case, systems from noble metal clusters (Ag, Au, and Ag_xAu_1−x) and transition metal based clusters (Co, SmCo₅) assemblies are studied for their original optical or magnetic properties, respectively. In the second case, covalent semiconducting films exhibiting specific electronic structures are obtained by Si, C, and Si_xC_1−x cage like clusters (fullerenes and heterofullerenes) depositions.