简介:Wereportthemicrostructureevolutionofcopper(Cu)nm-sizedatomicislandsonsiliconeoilsurfacesintheambientatmosphere.Theoriginofthesenearlyfreesustainingatomicislandsisexplainedbyathree-stagegrowthmodel.Thefirststageisthenucleationandgrowthofatomicgranules.Subsequently,thecompactatomicislandsgrowbytheaggregationoftheatomicgranules.Finally,theyadheretoeachotherandformbranchedatomicislands.Duringthecharacteristicevolution,theatomicgranulesreconstructandtheaverageheightoftheatomicislandsincreasesfrom7.0±1.0nmto13.0±1.0nm.ThedetailedevolutionmechanismoftheCuatomicislandsispresented.