The structures of NinAlp clusters of all compositions with n+p=12, 13, and 14 are studied both experimentally and theoretically. Experimental reactions of the clusters with N2 are used to determine the number of Ni atoms residing in the cluster surfaces. In agreement with the theoretical predictions, the N2 saturation levels are consistent with clusters having icosahedral and icosahedral-based structures. The various N2 adsorption channels seen in the experiment are explained in terms of the computed composition-dependent patterns of the configurational energies of the different structural forms.

Reactions of N2 with NinAl clusters, n=14–19, are used to determine the location of the Al atom within the cluster framework. N2 saturation levels are consistent with cluster structures in which one surface atom of the corresponding Nin+1 cluster is replaced with an Al atom. For n=14 and 17–19 it is possible to precisely locate the Al atom within the surface. In general, its placement maximizes the number of Ni–Al bonds for a surface Al atom.

Deposition for the first time of titanium oxide, cerium oxide, and tin oxide thin films by reactive pulsed arc molecular beam deposition is reported. To produce these thin films, oxygen gas was pulsed between a pair of electrodes situated within a vacuum chamber. A 20 μf storage capacitor was discharged between the electrode pair during the gas pulse. A substrate was placed inline with the oxygen pulse, on which an oxide coating of the electrode material was then coated. The films were analyzed by both scanning electron microscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. There was a noted strong dependence of the film surface quality on the melting temperature of the starting electrode material.

A continuous neat ammonia cluster beam was ionized by electron impact ionization, then analyzed by a tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Metastable Coulomb explosion was observed for the {NH3}51Hx=0,1,22+ and the {NH3}53Hx=0,1,22+ cluster ions. Coulomb explosion was observed in larger doubly charged cluster ions activated by low energy collisions with argon gas.

A discription of a thin film deposition source which is based upon the “Smalley metal cluster source” is presented. Our laser assisted molecular beam deposition source incorporates four major innovations: (1) placing the source so it sits external to the deposition chamber, (2) positioning the ablation target at an angle greater than 90° with respect to the laser entrance window, (3) placing the laser entrance window/lens further from the ablation target, and (4) the addition of a second optical window for laser alignment and in situ spectral analysis of the laser ablation plume. Novel molecules can be generated in this source through use of a reactive carrier gas. For example, employing a Ti target rod and O2 carrier gas; flat, uniform micron thick thin films of TiO2 can be easily generated.