Probing surface properties of organic molecular layers by scanning tunneling microscopy

Hairong Wu; Genglin Li; Jirui Hou; Kai Sotthewes

doi:10.1016/j.cis.2023.102956

Probing surface properties of organic molecular layers by scanning tunneling microscopy

Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Aug:318:102956. doi: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102956. Epub 2023 Jun 26.

Authors

Hairong Wu¹, Genglin Li², Jirui Hou³, Kai Sotthewes⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China; Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China. Electronic address: wuhairong-123@163.com.
² College of Science, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China; Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China.
⁴ Physics of Interfaces and Nanomaterials, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, the Netherlands. Electronic address: k.sotthewes@utwente.nl.

PMID: 37393823
DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102956

Abstract

In view of the relevance of organic thin layers in many fields, the fundamentals, growth mechanisms, and dynamics of thin organic layers, in particular thiol-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) are systematically elaborated. From both theoretical and practical perspectives, dynamical and structural features of the SAMs are of great intrigue. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is a remarkably powerful technique employed in the characterization of SAMs. Numerous research examples of investigation about the structural and dynamical properties of SAMs using STM, sometimes combined with other techniques, are listed in the review. Advanced options to enhance the time resolution of STM are discussed. Additionally, we elaborate on the extremely diverse dynamics of various SAMs, such as phase transitions and structural changes at the molecular level. In brief, the current review is expected to supply a better understanding and novel insights regarding the dynamical events happening in organic SAMs and how to characterize these processes.

Keywords: Dynamics; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Self-assembled monolayers; Temporal resolution; Thiol-based SAMs.

Publication types

Review