Formation of large ordered domains in benzenethiol self-assembled monolayers on Au(111) observed by scanning tunneling microscopy

Ultramicroscopy. 2009 Jul;109(8):1011-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2009.03.036. Epub 2009 Mar 31.

Abstract

Benzenethiol (BT) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) were prepared as a function of solution temperature after immersion in a 1mM ethanol solution for 1 day. The surface structures of BT SAMs were examined by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Although BT molecules usually form disordered SAMs containing the Au adatom islands at room temperature, we found that they formed two-dimensional ordered SAMs containing a large size domain at a high solution temperature of 50 or 75 degrees C. High-resolution STM imaging revealed that BT SAMs on Au(111) formed at 50 degrees C have a (2x3 radical2)R23 degrees packing structure. From our STM study, we revealed that two-dimensional ordered BT SAMs on Au(111) can be obtained by changing the solution temperature.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't