ABSTRACTUsing high energy rare gas ion sputtering of metal targets, we are able to produce nanoamps of mass selected transition metal clusters. Mono-sized cluster ions are deposited at low kinetic energy upon substrates, e.g. silica or carbon, and are then characterized using UV and x-ray photoemission. In this paper we will discuss photoemission measurements of the 4f7/2 core level energies of Au (1–5,7 atom samples) clusters deposited on silica. From such studies we are beginning to understand how electronic structure, cluster stability and mobility depend on (deposited) cluster size, surface coverage, and substrate temperature.
Metastable decay of rare gas cluster ions ? the (Ar3)+ system