STM Imaging of Gold Atoms Growth into 1D, 2D and 3D Islands on a TiO2(110)-1x1 Surface at Elevated Temperature

The lack of knowledge about the kinetics and dynamics of nano metal cluster growth or sintering on oxide surfaces at the atomic level hinders the control of cluster properties and the improvement of industrial catalytic performance. In this work, we used ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy to determine and characterize the thermal growth of Au atoms into 1D structures, 2D sheets, and 3D islands on a TiO2 (110)-1x1 surface at elevated temperatures. The dynamics of structural evolution, migration, and coalescence for 1D and 2D structures were also observed in real time.