The growth of free silver nanoclusters is studied by molecular dynamics simulations, from a small seed up to sizes $N\simeq 150$. It is shown that the final outcome of the growth process depends crucially on the growth conditions (deposition flux $\phi$ and temperature $T$). A reentrant morphology transition is obtained: at intermediate values of $T$ and $\phi$ a “decahedral window” is found; the window is surrounded by regimes where icosahedra are preferentially grown.

• Received 7 February 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.5544