| Abstract: | Synthesis of organometallic materials can be accomplished in many cases by cocondensation of metal atoms and organic molecules at low temperatures. The reaction kinetics is determined by the competition between metal cluster growth and formation of the organometallic compound. Interesting compounds may contain one or more metal atoms; the latter type could be obtained by reaction between a cluster containing the desired number of metal atoms and an organic molecule. A precise knowledge of the events occurring on condensation of metal atoms and cluster formation can therefore be of value in the control of chemical synthesis. These phenomena have been investigated in connection with the study of the growth of thin metallic films, both experimentally and theoretically. Direct observation of the formation of very small clusters is difficult. The good agreement between experimental results and recent calculations for the development of large clusters, however, allows reliable theoretical conclusions for the first stages of adsorption and cluster formation. The present contribution describes experimental work on film growth and relevant theoretical concepts, and an attempt is made to develop applications to organometallic synthesis. |
