The contribution of kinetic nucleation theories to studies of Volmer-Weber thin film growth

Extensive study of the vapour deposition of noble metals onto UHV cleaved alkali halide crystal surfaces has made an important contribution to the development of time-dependent nucleation theory. There nevertheless remain significant inconsistencies between results obtained from different studies of identical systems. The role which the time-dependent kinetic approach to nucleation theory has played in the past and that which it might take in the future are discussed.