Nanotemplated crystallization of organic molecules

Formation and structure of copper(II) oxalate layers on carboxy-terminated self-assembled monolayers

Copper(II) oxalate was grown on carboxy-terminated self-assembled monolayers using a step-by-step approach by dipping the surfaces alternately in ethanolic solutions of copper(II) acetate and oxalic acid with intermediate thorough rinsing steps. The deposition was monitored by reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), a quartz microbalance with dissipation measurement (QCM-D), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and helium ion microscopy (HIM). Amounts of material corresponding to a coverage of 75% of a monolayer are deposited in each dipping step in copper(II) acetate solution while deposition of oxalic acid produces a viscoelastic layer that is partially removed by rinsing. This points toward initial aggregation but acid not bound to Cu(2+) ions as oxalate ions is removed by the rinsing steps. RAIRS further indicates that the material grows as copper(II) oxalate ribbons similar to the crystal structure but with ribbons oriented roughly parallel to the surface. SEM and HIM give evidence of the formation of needle-shaped structures which are a possible explanation for the viscoelastic behavior of the layer.

Functionalization of a self-assembled monolayer driven by low-energy electron exposure

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 10-undecene-1-thiol on Au were functionalized with nitrogen-containing groups using an approach in which multilayer ammonia (NH(3)) films were deposited at low temperature onto the SAMs and subsequently exposed to 15 eV electrons. The result of this process was investigated after removal of the remaining NH(3) by annealing to room temperature using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). HREELS shows that the CC double bonds disappear during electron exposure, while XPS gives evidence that about 25% of the terminal double bonds of the SAM were functionalized. Also, XPS shows that a sufficiently thick NH(3) layer protects the underlying SAM from electron-induced damage. The process suggested here thus represents a particularly gentle approach to the functionalization of ultrathin molecular layers. Thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS) and electron-stimulated desorption (ESD) experiments on condensed layers of NH(3) reveal production of N(2) but show that significant amounts of the initial NH(3) as well as N(2) produced during electron exposure desorb. Hydrogen released upon formation of N(2) is held responsible for the reduction of double bonds and protection of the SAMs from damage.

Guiding the self-assembly of a second-generation polyphenylene dendrimer into well-defined patterns

A second-generation polyphenylene dendrimer 1 is shown to self-assemble into nanofibers. To guide the formation of the dendrimer fibers into well-defined patterns, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane is grafted in the gas phase onto a silicon substrate. De-wetting of the solution on the nanopatterned surface results in the formation of a nanostructured template, into which fiber growth subsequently occurs under the constraints set by the de-wetted morphology.

Site-selective patterning of organic luminescent molecules via gas phase deposition

In this paper, we present a bottom-up approach to pattern organic luminescent molecules with a feature size down to sub-100 nm over wafer-sized areas. This method is based on the selective gas deposition of organic molecules on self-organized patterned structures, which consist of an organic monolayer with two different phases rather than different materials. The site selectivity is controllable by deposition rate and the pattern features. The reason for the site selectivity may be due to the nucleation and diffusion behaviors of the deposited organic molecules on different monolayer phases.

Chemical template directed iodine patterns on the octadecyltrichlorosilane surface

A carboxylic-terminated nanometer-scale chemical pattern on an octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) surface can guide the deposition and crystallization of iodine, forming an iodine pattern on the chemical pattern. The iodine in the pattern is gel-like when fabricated by the solution-deposit method. In contrast, a dendritic, snowflake-shaped polycrystalline iodine sheet is formed by the vapor-phase condensation method. The data demonstrate that iodine is a good tracing and visualizing agent for studying liquid behavior at the nano scale. The topography of the iodine stain reveals that the "coffee ring" effect can be suppressed by reducing the pattern size and increasing the evaporation rate. The chemical template-bound iodine pattern has an unusually low vapor pressure and it can withstand prolonged baking at elevated temperature, which differs significantly from bulk iodine crystals.