Evaluation of the growth behaviour of gold film surfaces evaporation-deposited on mica under different conditions

A systematic AFM study of gold films deposited on mica substrates under a range of selected conditions reveals the evolution of the surface morphology of the films as a function of growth temperature, film thickness, and deposition rate. Scaling analysis shows that the growth behaviour of the surfaces of these films can be considered as self-affine fractals. The observed topography follows island-type (3D) growth processes in the majority of cases with a roughness exponent, alpha, in the range 0.24-0.75, or quasi-2D island growth in the remainder with alpha = 1.19 or 1.45. In the latter cases, however, the two gold films grown under the particular conditions used reflect typical growth models expressing a high roughness exponent, well consistent with theoretical prediction.