Atomistic visualization of epitaxial growth process using a new TEM specimen holder for vacuum-deposition

Mg clusters on MgO surfaces: characterization by MIES and electronic structure ab initio calculations

“…Moreover, the interaction between the metal, in particular clusters, and metal oxide substrates plays a key role in a number of technologically important applications including catalysis [3,4], metal±ceramic composites, gas sensors and microelectronics [5]. The study of the interaction between metal atoms and oxide surfaces is of importance in understanding phenomena like segregation of metal atoms at oxide surfaces [6,7], diusion of metal atoms on insulators [8], the formation of metal-induced point Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 157 (1999) 162±166 www.elsevier.nl/locate/nimb defects on oxides [2,9] and the formation of nanoparticles in semiconductors and insulators [10]. Surprisingly little is known about the electronic structure of metal/oxide interfaces, in particular about the type of the metal adsorption sites, the electronic character of the ®rst-layer metal species and regarding the nature of the interaction with nearest-neighbour metal atoms [5,11].…”