Growth of cobalt clusters on amorphous alumina: comparison of TEM images with Monte-Carlo simulations

We compare the 3D Monte-Carlo simulations of atom aggregation on a surface with TEM micrographs of real cobalt deposits obtained by sputter deposition on amorphous alumina. The discrepancy between deposited masses in otherwise similar calculated and real deposits suggests the existence of a layer of trapped cobalt atoms in the latter. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.