The nucleation sites of Ag clusters grown by vapor deposition on a TiO2(1 1 0)-1 × 1 surface

We present results of a scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) study of the nucleation and growth of silver clusters grown by vapor deposition on a rutile TiO2(1 1 0)-1 × 1 surface. We have scanned, with atomic resolution, the same surface area before and after Ag deposition, to determine the relationship between the nucleation sites and various surface defects. We have found that small precursor strands of (1 × 2) surface reconstruction have a higher propensity to nucleate Ag clusters than missing-oxygen vacancies and C-type defects. All studies were performed at room temperature, a regime in which the clusters nucleate and grow during the deposition, but do not coarsen.