Observation of the discrete electron energy states of an individual nanometer-size supported gold cluster

Abstract
The electron energy distribution from a single 1-nm-diam. Au cluster supported on a W(110) field-emission tip has been studied using energy-resolved field-emission microscopy. The emitted electrons provide information on the quantum electron energy states of the supported cluster and demonstrate that these states survive after deposition onto a substrate. A model that accounts for the salient features in the energy distribution is described.