Deposition and characterization of Pt nanocluster films by means of gas aggregation cluster source

In this study we report on the deposition of Pt nanocluster films prepared by gas aggregation source that was operated with argon as working gas. The aim of this study was optimization of deposition process as well as determination of properties of deposited nanocluster films and their temporal stability. It was found that the production of Pt nanoclusters reached maximum value for pressure of 100 Pa and increases monotonously with magnetron current. The deposition rate at optimized deposition conditions was 0.7 nm of the Pt nanocluster film per second. Deposited films were porous and composed of 4 nm Pt nanoclusters. The nanoclusters were metallic and no sights of their oxidation were observed after 1 year on open air as witnessed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Regarding the electrical properties, a dramatic decrease of the resistivity was observed with increasing amount of deposited nanoclusters. This decrease saturated for the films approximately 50 nm thick. Such behavior indicates transition between different mechanisms of electrical conductivity: charge hopping for thin discontinuous films and current conduction through conducting path formed when higher amount of nanoclusters is deposited. Different mechanisms of electrical conduction for thin and thick layers of Pt were confirmed by subsequent investigation of temperature dependence of resistivity. In addition, no changes in resistivity were observed after one year on open air that confirms stability of produced Pt nanocluster films. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.