Fundamental role of the H-bond interaction in the dissociation of NH3 on Si(001)-(2×1)

Hydrogen Bonding of Ammonia with (H,OH)-Si(001) Revealed by Experimental and Ab Initio Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Combining experimental and ab initio core-level photoelectron spectroscopy (periodic DFT and quantum chemistry calculations), we elucidated how ammonia molecules bond to the hydroxyls of the (H,OH)-Si(001) model surface at a temperature of 130 K. Indeed, theory evaluated the magnitude and direction of the N 1s (and O 1s) chemical shifts according to the nature (acceptor or donor) of the hydrogen bond and, when confronted to experiment, showed unambiguously that the probe molecule makes one acceptor and one donor bond with a pair of hydroxyls. The consistency of our approach was proved by the fact that the identified adsorption geometries are precisely those that have the largest binding strength to the surface, as calculated by periodic DFT. Real-time core-level photoemission enabled measurement of the adsorption kinetics of H-bonded ammonia and its maximum coverage (0.37 ML) under 1.5 × 10^-9 mbar. Experimental desorption free energies were compared to the magnitude of the adsorption energies provided by periodic DFT calculations. Minority species were also detected on the surface. As in the case of H-bonded ammonia, DFT core-level calculations were instrumental to attribute these minority species to datively bonded ammonia molecules, associated with isolated dangling bonds remaining on the surface, and to dissociated ammonia molecules, resulting largely from beam damage.

Atomic layer deposition of 1D and 2D nickel nanostructures on graphite

One-dimensional (1D) nanowires (NWs) and two-dimensional (2D) thin films of Ni were deposited on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) by atomic layer deposition (ALD), using NH₃ as a counter reactant. Thermal ALD using NH₃ gas forms 1D NWs along step edges, while NH₃ plasma enables the deposition of a continuous 2D film over the whole surface. The lateral and vertical growth rates of the Ni NWs are numerically modeled as a function of the number of ALD cycles. Pretreatment with NH₃ gas promotes selectivity in deposition by the reduction of oxygenated functionalities on the HOPG surface. On the other hand, NH₃ plasma pretreatment generates surface nitrogen species, and results in a morphological change in the basal plane of graphite, leading to active nucleation across the surface during ALD. The effects of surface nitrogen species on the nucleation of ALD Ni were theoretically studied by density functional theory calculations. Our results suggest that the properties of Ni NWs, such as their density and width, and the formation of Ni thin films on carbon surfaces can be controlled by appropriate use of NH₃.

Room temperature differential conductance measurements of triethylamine molecules adsorbed on Si(001)

We have measured the differential conductance of the triethylamine molecule (N(CH2CH3)3) adsorbed on Si(001)-2 × 1 at room temperature using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Triethylamine can be engaged in a dative bonding with a silicon dimer, forming a Si-Si-N(CH2CH3)3 unit. We have examined the datively bonded adduct, either as an isolated molecule, or within an ordered molecular domain (reconstructed 4 × 2). The differential conductance curves, supported by DFT calculations, show that in the explored energy window (±2.5 near the Fermi level) the main features stem from the uncapped dangling bonds of the reacted dimer and of the adjacent unreacted ones that are electronically coupled The formation of a molecular domain, in which one dimer in two is left unreacted, is reflected in a shift of the up dimer atom occupied level away from the Fermi level, likely due to an increased π-bonding strength. In stark contrast with the preceding, pairs of dissociated molecule (a minority species) are electronically decoupled from the dimer dangling bond states. DFT calculation show that the lone-pair of the Si-N(CH2CH3)2 is a shallow level, that is clearly seen in the differential conductance curve.