ARTICLE pubs.acs.org/JPCC

ABSTRACT: Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we have conducted an in situ study of the room-temperature growth of Ag structures on a Si(111)-(7 7) surface. By observing the STM images at various Ag coverages, a number of Ag structures were identified in both the faulted and the unfaulted half unit cells. The number of Ag atoms contained in each of these Ag structures was precisely determined through observation of inter-half unit cell diffusion. Transformations between the Ag structures via inter- and intra-half unit cell diffusion provide detailed information for themechanisms of Ag structure growth. The precision knowledge of the number of atoms in such structures will form a fundamental base for understanding the physical and chemical properties of these structures. During the past 20 years, metal nanostructures have been a central area of research in physics and chemistry.1-6 Various physical properties of metal clusters have been investigated, with examples including the melting point of Na70-200