Collective behaviour of gold nuclei on (100)KCl

The radial distribution of gold nuclei obtained by evaporation in U.H.V. onto a (100)KCl substrate is measured, and is analysed in terms of parameters such as the mean density ρ0 and the mean diameter ⟨d⟩ of nuclei. This analysis proves the presence of repulsive forces between the nuclei. Some results of numerical calculations are also given, from which these forces may be evaluated quantitatively. It is suggested that the inhibition of coalescence at low annealing temperatures (Ta<443 K) is partly due to these repulsive forces between nuclei.