Non-crystalline structures in the growth of silver nanoclusters

TY - JOUR

T1 - Non-crystalline structures in the growth of silver nanoclusters

AU - Baletto, F

AU - Mottet, C

AU - Ferrando, R

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - The growth of nanometer-size free Ag clusters is studied by Molecular Dynamics simulations. The morphology transition from the icosahedron at the magic size of N = 55 atoms to the Marks truncated decahedron at N = 75 is analyzed in details, in order to single out kinetic trapping and entropic effects. At very low T, the cluster is kinetically trapped in an icosahedral structure, At intermediate T the transition takes place sharply at N similar or equal to 65. At higher T, the transition is smeared out and finally, around 550 K no transition is found because the 75 decahedron is melted

AB - The growth of nanometer-size free Ag clusters is studied by Molecular Dynamics simulations. The morphology transition from the icosahedron at the magic size of N = 55 atoms to the Marks truncated decahedron at N = 75 is analyzed in details, in order to single out kinetic trapping and entropic effects. At very low T, the cluster is kinetically trapped in an icosahedral structure, At intermediate T the transition takes place sharply at N similar or equal to 65. At higher T, the transition is smeared out and finally, around 550 K no transition is found because the 75 decahedron is melted

M3 - Article

VL - 16

SP - 25

EP - 28

JO - European Physical Journal D

JF - European Physical Journal D

IS - 1-3

ER -