Radial distribution function of nuclei formed by condensation on a clean substrate

Gold nuclei of mean diameter 40 Å which were condensed at 20°C on a (100)KCl surface gave a radial distribution function very different in shape from those obtained by annealing this deposit at 117°C. During this annealing the size distribution and the electron diffraction pattern remained the same but the positions of the nuclei changed. Therefore, it is clear that the nuclei move as entities, even at very moderate temperatures, as long as the epitaxy of the nuclei with substrate is not achieved.