Size and density of Au particles deposited on TiO2(1 1 0)-(1 × 1) and cross-linked (1 × 2) surfaces

Gold particles deposited on TiO2(1 1 0)-(1 × 1) and cross-linked (1 × 2) surfaces were observed using scanning tunneling microscopy performed under ultra high vacuum conditions. On the (1 × 1) surfaces, the Au particles grew large and dominantly covered steps even at room temperature. On the cross-linked (1 × 2) surfaces, the Au particles were of a smaller size and highly dispersed on terraces. The cross-link structure was found to be effective in suppressing the growth of Au particles below 690 K. These results indicated that the cross-link structure strongly influenced the size and dispersion of Au particles.