Size selective melting of small metal particles

Fine particles of lead in the size of 3-40 nm are grown epitaxially on thin monocrystalline MgO substrate transparent for an electron beam in a column of a transmission electron. microscope. Studying of their melting was carried out in situ. Particles of lead were heated by means of a heater containing a substrate with these particles and ail electron beam. Size dependences of melting temperature qualitatively differ for different ways of heating. In the first case, the melting temperature goes down with reduction of the size of a particle. In the second case, the size of a particle there is less, the greater energy of an electron beam is necessary for its melting.