Growth patterns, shapes, and electronic properties of mixed Si m Ge n clusters withn+m⩽30

$$\hbox {Ag}_{m} \hbox {Rh}_n$$ clusters with $$m+n\le 55$$

Using a combination of genetic algorithms for the unbiased structure optimization and a Gupta many-body potential for the calculation of the energetic properties of a given structure, we determine the putative total-energy minima for all $$\hbox {Ag}_{m} \hbox {Rh}_n$$ Ag m Rh n clusters with a total number of atoms $$m+n$$ m + n up to 55. Subsequently, we use various descriptors to analyze the obtained structural and energetic properties. With the help of a similarity function, we show that the pure Ag and Rh clusters are structurally similar for sizes up to around 20 atoms. The same approach gives that the mixed clusters tend to possess a larger structural similarity with the pure Rh clusters than with the pure Ag clusters. However, for clusters with $$m\simeq n\ge 25$$ m ≃ n ≥ 25 , other structures dominate. The effective coordination numbers for the Ag and Rh atoms as well as the radial distributions of those atoms indicate that there is a tendency towards segregation with Rh atoms forming an inner part and the Ag atoms forming a shell. Only few clusters, all with a fairly large total number of atoms, are found to be particularly stable.