Self-affine properties of cluster-assembled carbon thin films

Surface morphologies of nanostructured carbon films, produced by supersonic cluster beam deposition, have been investigated by atomic force microscopy. From topographical images, we evaluated the surface roughness corresponding to different scan lengths and thicknesses, and deduced that the images examined are self-affine. Experimental scaling exponents and the hypothesis of non-destructive primeval cluster aggregation suggest that quenched noise effects may be important in the process of growth of the nanostructured surfaces.