Detection of stacking faults in carbon dioxide clusters

An electron-diffraction study of clusters formed in supersonic jets of carbon dioxide is reported. The mean size of the clusters varies from 4 x 10(2) to 2 x 10(4) molecules/cluster. From an analysis of the diffraction patterns obtained it is established that clusters of these sizes have the structure of the bulk crystal. Stacking faults are observed for the first time in clusters with an average size of less than 1.7 x 10(3) molecules/cluster; the density of these stacking faults increases with decreasing size of the aggregations. It is found that the density of stacking faults in (CO2)(N) clusters is considerably lower than rare-gas clusters. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.