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Fabrication of size-selected bimetallic nanoclusters using magnetron sputtering

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Abstract

Copper–tin (CuxSn1−x) nanocluster is a promising system for gas sensing applications, mainly because of its sensitivity and selectivity for H2S. In this work, pure Sn and Cu as well as composite CuxSn1−x nanoclusters were synthesized using the dc magnetron sputtering gas condensation technique. Nanoclusters with different Sn to Cu ratios were produced by changing the ratio of Sn and Cu in the target. The dependence of Sn, Cu, and CuxSn1−x nanoclusters’ size distribution on various source parameters, such as the inert gas flow rate and aggregation length, has been investigated in detail. The results show that as the inert gas flow rate increases, the mean nanocluster size increases for Sn, decreases for Cu, while increases and then decreases for CuxSn1−x. The results could be understood in terms of the contribution percentage of the nanocluster formation mechanism. Furthermore, this work demonstrates the ability of tuning the CuxSn1−x nanoclusters’ size and composition by a proper optimization of the source operation conditions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by United Arab Emirates University under the Grant No. FOS/IRG-23/11. The authors would like to thank Mr. S. Tariq at FMHS, United Arab Emirates University for TEM images. Also they would like to thank the National X-ray Fluorescence Lab at the University of Sharjah for XRF analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

    Ahmad I. Ayesh, Naser Qamhieh & Saleh T. Mahmoud

  2. Department of Applied Physics, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Hussain Alawadhi

Authors
  1. Ahmad I. Ayesh
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  2. Naser Qamhieh
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  3. Saleh T. Mahmoud
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  4. Hussain Alawadhi
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Correspondence to Ahmad I. Ayesh.

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Ayesh, A.I., Qamhieh, N., Mahmoud, S.T. et al. Fabrication of size-selected bimetallic nanoclusters using magnetron sputtering. Journal of Materials Research 27, 2441–2446 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2012.205

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