Computational Volume Dynamic Analysis of a Particle Beam Cluster Source

This thesis is an investigation using the finite volume method to examine the flow of carrier gas and nanoparticles through a particle beam cluster machine. Nanoparticle clusters are a relatively new material, which often have novel properties due to the ratio of the number of atoms at their surface compared to number of atoms within their volume. Although two dimensional, it offers an insight into the characteristic sonic/supersonic expansion of a free gas jet into a partial vacuum. Tests were performed with different geometry and pressure, to view changes of the nanoparticle trajectory through the cluster machine. The aim is to use this greater understanding, to examine how the efficiency of a particle beam cluster machine can be improved.