Determination of eutectic temperature of Au-Ge isolated two-phase nanoparticles on amorphous carbon substrate

Abstract

The results of in situ electron microscopy studies of melting of isolated Au-Ge two-phase particles on an amorphous carbon support have been reported. Nanosized Au-Ge particles have been produced by melting and subsequent crystallization of Au/Ge layered films with eutectic mass ratio of the components. It has been shown that the melting temperature of Au-Ge two-phase particle of ≈20 nm in size was 301 ± 15 °С, and for particle of ≈13 nm in size it was 211 ± 15 °С, which are significantly below the eutectic temperature for macroscopic system (361 °С).