Desorption of nanoclusters (2-40 nm) from nanodispersed metal and semiconductor layers by swift heavy ions

New experimental data on the desorption of nanoclusters (2-40 nm) from nanodispersed layers of metals (Ag, Pt, In, Bi) and semiconductors (Ge, UO2, PbS) by fission fragments (FF) are reported and compared to the previously obtained data on desorption of nanoclusters of gold. It is shown that the desorption of nanoclusters from nanodispersed layers of metals and semiconductors due to electronic processes induced by swift heavy ions is a universal phenomenon. The yield of the desorbed nanoclusters depends on the cluster material and cluster size as well as on the material of the target substrate and varies within the range from similar to5 to similar to0.001 FF-1. The angular distributions of the nanoclusters do not depend on the cluster material, but only on the cluster size: the mean polar angle of desorption decreasing from 45degrees to 23 while cluster size increasing from 2 to 40 nm. The majority of the nanoclusters is desorbed in the form of molten, liquid droplets. The results are discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.