Statistical Analysis of Atomic Collisions during Metal Vapour Nucleation in Nobel Gas Medium

Abstract

The dynamic evaluation of cluster growth probability in supersaturated non-equilibrium medium by statistical analysis of molecular-dynamics calculations was made. The molecular dynamics simulation of copper vapour condensation in argon medium was performed.  The possibility of using kinetic molecular theory relations for non-equilibrium conditions was tested. The results show that the number of collisions and scattering cross section agree well with classical values for Ar–Ar, Ar–Cu and Cu–Cu pairs. It was found that the mean lifetime of small clusters (n < 15) does not depend on density of Cu and Ar but it depends on temperature. The research resulted in a new algorithm of cluster growth probability.