TEM AND AFM STUDY OF GOLD THIN-FILM NUCLEATION AND GROWTH

The primary objective of the paper is to compare the results from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for the study of morphological parameters of gold clusters deposited on NaCl. Results from both techniques are obtained through an image processor and the paper first discusses the inherent inaccuracy of the image treatment. The comparison between the results from the two techniques evidences the poor lateral resolution of AFM. Eventually, the two techniques appear to be complementary and the knowledge of the height of the clusters from AFM, together with their average size and their density from TEM, allows one to obtain information on their shape.