NOVEL METHOD OF ASCERTAINING THE MEAN FREE ENERGY OF MOLECULE DESORPTION AND SURFACE DIFFUSION FROM THEIR CRITICAL DEPOSITION RATE.

A novel method of investigating the mean free energy of molecule desorption and surface diffusion is presented. It is based on measuring the critical densities of the impinging vapor beam and is derived from the theory of prenucleation states and from the kinetic theory of molecules moving under critical conditions on a substrate surface. The derived relations have been corroborated by measuring metals evaporating as monatomic molecules (Mg, Zn, Cd, Pb and Bi).