Size dependent epitaxial cluster deposition: The effect of deposition energy

Sufficiently small Cu nanoclusters will align epitaxially with a smooth (1 0 0) Cu substrate when deposited at thermal energies. Because the alignment process is greatly dependent on the initial rearrangement of the atoms in the cluster upon impact, a slight increase in the deposition energy may affect the upper size limit of clusters that align epitaxially. Using molecular dynamics computer simulations we have determined the minimum energy needed in order for clusters of various sizes to be deposited epitaxially on a smooth (1 0 0) Cu substrate at 300 K