Energetic cluster deposition on a dislocation network: Ag₇ on 2 ML Ag/Pt(111)

Mass selected Ag₇ clusters have been deposited at two different impact energies (20 and 95 eV) on a dislocation network formed by evaporating 2 ML of Ag on Pt(111). The surface has been investigated by low temperature STM as a function of annealing temperature. The clusters adsorption site, stability and ordering depend on impact energies and annealing temperatures. We find that the hcp small triangle and dislocation region of the reconstructed unit cell form preferred pinning centers at low temperature, at higher temperature most clusters are situated in the fee hexagon of the unit cell. The results are compared to experiments with thermal evaporated Ag atoms.