Gold Particles Formed along -Step Lines of Sodium Chloride Crystals

Abstract
The growth of gold particles deposited onto stepped surfaces of sodium chloride crystals has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. A great number of multiply-twinned particles and a few of pyramidal particles with an (001) orientation along the -step lines at a substrate temperature of 320°C or less were observed. The growth of these particles along the steps is discussed in terms of an atomistic nucleation theory and a model is proposed.