PdAu nanoparticles have been grown on SiO2 by room-temperature sequential sputtering depositions. The nucleation and growth kinetics have been determined crossing atomic force and scanning electron microscopy measurements. From these measurements the mechanisms of the nucleation and growth have been determined. In particular: (1) during the deposition of the first metal (Pd), atoms adsorbed on the substrate are readily trapped on the substrate defects, forming stable nuclei which grow further. During the deposition of the second metal (Au), adsorbed atoms are captured by the clusters formed during the first deposition, before they have time to form a stable nucleus of pure second metal on the surface sites. So, the nucleation is mainly controlled by the Pd and the Au atoms are incorporated essentially by direct impingement of the vapour atoms on the already formed particles. (2) fixing the amount of …