Statistical analysis of atomic collisions during metal vapour nucleation in Nobel gas medium

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 $\mathrm{Ar}$-$\mathrm{Ar}$, $\mathrm{Ar}$-$\mathrm{Cu}$ and $\mathrm{Cu}$-$\mathrm{Cu}$ pairs. It was found that the mean lifetime of small clusters ($n<15$) does not depend on density of $\mathrm{Cu}$ and $\mathrm{Ar}$ but it depends on temperature. The research resulted in a new algorithm of cluster growth probability.