Studies of chemisorbed tetracene on si(111)-7x7

The chemisorption of tetracene on the Si(111)-7x7 surface was studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. On the basis of the STM results and dimension analysis, two types of binding configurations were proposed. One of the configurations involves the di-sigma reaction between two C atoms of an inner ring with an adatom-rest atom pair on the substrate to give rise to an unsymmetrical butterfly structure. Tetracene in another configuration possesses four C-Si bonds that are formed via di-sigma reactions between the C atoms at the terminal rings with two center adatom-rest atom pairs within one-half of the surface unit cell. Besides, two other binding modes were proposed based on the dimension compatibility between the tetracene C and the substrate Si dangling bonds even though their identifications through the STM images are nonexclusive. Structural modeling and adsorption energies calculations were carried out using the DFT method. Factors affecting the relative thermodynamic stabilities based on the calculation results and the relative populations of tetracene in the different binding configurations as observed experimentally were discussed.     

Molecular flexibility as a factor affecting the surface ordering of organic adsorbates on metal substrates

The effect of molecular flexibility on the surface ordering of complex organic adsorbates is explored, using alpha,omega-dihexylquaterthiophene (DH4T) and mixed DH4T|tetracene phases on Ag(111) as model systems. The structure of DH4T/Ag(111) interfaces is determined by the flexibility of the hexyl chains at either end of the quaterthiophene backbone: Above 273 K, DH4T forms a nematic liquid crystalline phase with a director close to the [112] direction of the silver substrate. At 273 K, a reversible phase transition to a long-range ordered, point-on-line coincident phase is observed. However, this ordered state is still affected substantially by the flexible nature of DH4T, which materializes in a large number of local structural defects. If traces of DH4T are coevaporated with tetracene, inclusions of a 1:1 stoichiometric DH4T|tetracene phase are found in a tetracene/Ag(111) matrix (alpha-phase). In this mixed phase, the two surface enantiomers of pro-chiral DH4T on one hand and tetracene on the other form a complex stripe structure. The mixed phase shows a higher degree of order than present at the pure DH4T/Ag(111) interface, which also lacks chiral organization. The addition of tetracene molecules as structural templates stabilizes certain conformations of DH4T and thus, by balancing its structural flexibility, allows the surface-induced chirality of DH4T to become a decisive factor in determining the structure of the mixed phase.     

预沉积Ge对Si(111)衬底上SSMBE外延生长SiC薄膜的影响

利用固源分子束外延(SSMBE)生长技术, 在Si(111)衬底上预沉积不同厚度(0、0.2、1 nm)Ge, 在衬底温度900 ℃, 生长SiC单晶薄膜. 利用反射式高能电子衍射仪(RHEED)、原子力显微镜(AFM)和傅立叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)等实验技术, 对生长的样品进行了研究. 结果表明, 预沉积少量Ge(0.2 nm)的样品, SiC薄膜表面没有孔洞存在, AFM显示表面比较平整, 粗糙度比较小, FTIR结果表明薄膜内应力比较小. 这说明少量Ge的预沉积抑制了孔洞的形成, 避免衬底Si扩散, 因而SiC薄膜的质量比较好. 没有预沉积Ge的薄膜, 结晶质量比较差, SiC薄膜表面有孔洞且有Si存在. 然而预沉积过量Ge (1 nm) 的样品, 由于Ge的岛状生长,导致生长的SiC表面粗糙度变大, 结晶质量变差, 甚至导致多晶产生.     

Photochemistry on ultrathin metal films: strongly enhanced cross sections for NO2 on Ag/Si(100)

The surface photochemistry of NO(2) on ultrathin Ag(111) films (5-60 nm) on Si(100) substrates has been studied. NO(2), forming N(2)O(4) on the surface, dissociates to release NO and NO(2) into the gas phase with translational energies exceeding the equivalent of the sample temperature. An increase of the photodesorption cross section is observed for 266 nm light when the film thickness is decreased below 30 nm despite the fact that the optical absorptivity decreases. For 4.4 nm film thickness this increase is about threefold. The data are consistent with a similar effect for 355 nm light. The reduced film thickness has no significant influence on the average translation energy of the desorbing molecules or the branching into the different channels. The increased photodesorption cross section is interpreted to result from photon absorption in the Si substrate producing electrons with no or little momenta parallel to the surface at energies where this is not allowed in Ag. It is suggested that these electrons penetrate through the Ag film despite the gap in the surface projected band structure.     

Thermal immobilization of ferrocene derivatives on (111) surface of n-type silicon: parallel between vinylferrocene and ferrocenecarboxaldehyde

Monolayers attached to a Si(111) surface through Si-C-C or Si-O-C covalent bonds were prepared by the thermally activated reaction (150 degrees C) of vinylferrocene (VFC) or ferrocenecarboxaldehyde (FCA) molecules with hydrogen-terminated Si(111) substrate in order to compare their reactivities. The resulting monolayers gave a couple of redox waves on voltammograms due to ferrocenyl moieties tethered at the surface. The voltammetric quantification revealed that the growth of electrochemically active layers was terminated within 5 h and the final surface coverages of the active ferrocenyl moieties were 58% and 16% for VFC- and FCA-based monolayers, respectively, indicating that the aldehyde molecule is less reactive. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ellipsometry, however, gave an indication that the growth of the VFC layer did not self-terminate and proceeded beyond a monolayer, while this overgrown part of the layer was not electrochemically active.     

X-ray studies of self-assembled organic monolayers grown on hydrogen-terminated Si(111)

The structure of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of undecylenic acid methyl ester (SAM-1) and undec-10-enoic acid 2-bromo-ethyl ester (SAM-2) grown on hydrogen-passivated Si(111) were studied by X-ray reflectivity (XRR), X-ray standing waves (XSW), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The two different SAMs were grown by immersion of H-Si(111) substrates into the two different concentrated esters. UV irradiation during immersion was used to create Si dangling bond sites that act as initiators of the surface free-radical addition process that leads to film growth. The XRR structural analysis reveals that the molecules of SAM-1 and SAM-2 respectively have area densities corresponding to 50% and 57% of the density of Si(111) surface dangling bonds and produce films with less than 4 angstroms root-mean-square roughness that have layer thicknesses of 12.2 and 13.2 angstroms. Considering the molecular lengths, these thicknesses correspond to a 38 degrees and 23 degrees tilt angle for the respective molecules. For SAM-2/Si(111) samples, XRF analysis reveals a 0.58 monolayer (ML) Br total coverage. Single-crystal Bragg diffraction XSW analysis reveals (unexpectedly) that 0.48 ML of these Br atoms are at a Si(111) lattice position height that is identical to the T1 site that was previously found by XSW analysis for Br adsorbed onto Si(111) from a methanol solution and from ultrahigh vacuum. From the combined XPS, XRR, XRF, and XSW evidence, it is concluded that Br abstraction by reactive surface dangling bonds competes with olefin addition to the surface.     

Photochemical-controlled switching based on azobenzene monolayer modified silicon (111) surface

Azobenzene-containing compounds were covalently attached onto Si(111) surfaces via Si-O linkages using a two-step procedure. The modified Si(111) surfaces were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy measurements. The monolayer surface showed preferably chemical stability. Switchable photoisomerizability of azobenzene molecules on these modified surfaces was observed in response to alternating UV and visible light exposure. The measured conductivity showed distinct difference with trans and cis forms of azobenzene compounds on as-modified Si(111) surfaces.     

Electron dynamics at polyacene/Au(111) interfaces

Two-photon photoemission (2PPE) spectroscopy is used to examine the excited electronic structure and dynamics at polyacene/Au(111) interfaces. Image resonances are observed in all cases (benzene, naphthalene, anthrathene, tetracene, and pentacene), as evidenced by the free-electron like dispersions in the surface plane and the dependences of these resonances on the adsorption of nonane overlayers. The binding energies and lifetimes of these resonances are similar for the five interfaces. Adsorption of nonane on top of these films pushes the electron density in the image resonance away from the metal surface, resulting in a decrease in the binding energy (-0.3 eV) and an increase in the lifetime (from <20 to approximately 110 fs). The insensitivity of the image resonances to the size of polyacene molecules and the absence of photoinduced electron transfer from the metal substrate to molecular states both suggest that the unoccupied molecular orbitals are not strongly coupled to the delocalized metal states or image potential resonances.     

Transmission infrared spectroscopy of methyl- and ethyl-terminated silicon(111) surfaces

Transmission infrared spectroscopy (TIRS) has been used to investigate the surface-bound species formed in the two-step chlorination/alkylation reaction of crystalline (111)-oriented Si surfaces. Spectra were obtained after hydrogen termination, chlorine termination, and reaction of the Cl-Si(111) surface with CH(3)MgX or C(2)H(5)MgX (X = Cl, Br) to form methyl (CH(3))- or ethyl (C(2)H(5))-terminated Si(111) surfaces, respectively. Freshly etched H-terminated Si(111) surfaces that were subsequently chlorinated by immersion in a saturated solution of PCl(5) in chlorobenzene were characterized by complete loss of the Si-H stretching and bending modes at 2083 and 627 cm(-1)(,) respectively, and the appearance of Si-Cl modes at 583 and 528 cm(-1). TIRS of the CH(3)-terminated Si(111) surface exhibited a peak at 1257 cm(-1) polarized perpendicular to the surface assigned to the C-H symmetrical bending, or "umbrella" motion, of the methyl group. A peak observed at 757 cm(-1) polarized parallel to the surface was assigned to the C-H rocking motion. Alkyl C-H stretch modes on both the CH(3)- and C(2)H(5)-terminated surfaces were observed near 2900 cm(-1). The C(2)H(5)-terminated Si(111) surface additionally exhibited broad bands at 2068 and 2080 cm(-1), respectively, polarized perpendicular to the surface, as well as peaks at 620 and 627 cm(-1), respectively, polarized parallel to the surface. These modes were assigned to the Si-H stretching and bending motions, respectively, resulting from H-termination of surface atoms that did not form Si-C bonds during the ethylation reaction.     

Electronic structure of methoxy-, bromo-, and nitrobenzene grafted onto Si(111)

The properties of Si(111) surfaces grafted with benzene derivatives were investigated using ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The investigated materials were nitro-, bromo-, and methoxybenzene layers (-C(6)H(4)-X, with X = NO(2), Br, O-CH(3)) deposited from diazonium salt solutions in a potentiostatic electrochemical process. The UPS spectra of the valence band region are governed by the molecular orbital density of states of the adsorbates, which is modified from the isolated state in the gas phase due to molecule-molecule and molecule-substrate interaction. Depending on the adsorbate, clearly different emission features are observed. The analysis of XPS intensities clearly proves multilayer formation for bromo- and nitrobenzene in agreement with the amount of charge transferred during the grafting process. Methoxybenzene forms only a sub-monolayer coverage. The detailed analysis of binding energy shifts of the XPS emissions for determining the band bending and the secondary electron onset in UPS spectra for determining the work function allow one to discriminate between surface dipole layers--changing the electron affinity--and band bending, affecting only the work function. Thus, complete energy band diagrams of the grafted Si(111) surfaces can be constructed. It was found that silicon surface engineering can be accomplished by the electrochemical grafting process using nitrobenzene and bromobenzene: silicon-derived interface gap states are chemically passivated, and the adsorbate-related surface dipole effects an increase of the electron affinity.     

Topography Structure and Scanning Tunneling Spectrum of Nickel（Ⅱ）-tetraphenylporphyrin Molecules on Au（111）

1 INTRODUCTION Metalloporphyrins are intensively studied for many reasons. They have been comprehensively used in biochemistry, analytical chemistry and so on. They play an important role in biological processes such as oxygen transport photosynthesis and enzyme catalysis. They can act as catalysts[1], and can undergo reversible redox reactions in which the site of electron transfer may be localized on the por- phyrin ring or on the central metal ion. Both reaction types are important in…     

Topography Structure and Scanning Tunneling Spectrum of Nickel(Ⅱ)-tetraphenylporphyrin Molecules on Au(111)

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) were performed on monolayer film of NiTPP supported on Au(111) under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The constant current STM images show remarkable bias dependence. High resolution STM data clearly show the individual NiTPP molecules and allow easy differentiation between NiTPP and CoTPP reported before. Scanning tunneling spectra, as a function of molecule-tip separation, were acquired over a range of tip motion of 0.42 nm. Spectra do not show the variation in band splitting with tip distance. It appears for molecules such as NiTPP that the average potential at the molecule is essentially the same at the same metal substrate. For molecules of the height of NiTPP, the scanning tunneling spectra should give reliable occupied and unoccupied orbital energies over a wide range of tip-molecule distances.     

Oriented SrFe12O19 thin films prepared by chemical solution deposition

Thin films of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ (SrM) were prepared from a solution of iron and strontium alkoxides through the chemical solution deposition method on both amorphous (glassy SiO₂), and single crystal substrates (Si(100), Si(111), Ag(111), Al₂O₃(001), MgO(111), MgAl₂O₄(111), SrTiO₃(111)) substrates. The process of crystallization was investigated by means of powder diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Magnetization measurements, ferromagnetic and nuclear magnetic resonance were used for evaluation of anisotropy in the films. Whilst amorphous substrates enabled growth of randomly oriented SrM phase, use of single crystal substrates resulted in samples with different degree of oriented growth. The most pronounced oriented growth was observed on SrTiO₃(111). A detailed inspection revealed that growth of SrM phase starts through the breakup of initially continuous film into isolated grains with expressive shape anisotropy and hexagonal habit. A continuous film with epitaxial relations to the substrate was produced by repeating recoating and annealing.     

Ammonia adsorption on and diffusion into thin ice films grown on Pt(111)

Ammonia adsorption on and diffusion into thin ice films grown on a Pt(111) surface were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal desorption spectroscopy. After exposing the crystalline ice film to ammonia molecules at 45 K (ammonia/ice film), we have detected an intriguing feature at 1470 cm(-1) in the FTIR spectra, which is derived from the adsorption of ammonia on the ice with a characteristic structure which appears in thin film range. The peak intensity of this feature decreases gradually as the thickness of the substrate ice increases. In addition, we have detected a feature at 1260 cm(-1) which appears after annealing the ammonia/ice film. The feature corresponds to the ammonia molecules which reach the ice/Pt(111) interface through the ice film. Intriguingly, the intensity of this feature decreases with the ice thickness and there is a linear relation of the peak intensity of the features at 1470 and 1260 cm(-1). We propose a model in which the solubility of the ammonia molecules is much higher for the thin ice film than that for the ideal ice.     

Electrical and Optical Properties of MgO Thin Film Prepared by Sol-Gel Technique

MgO thin films with either (111) or (200) preferential orientation have been prepared on (100) Si substrates by sol-gel method after a heat-treatment at 800°C. The obtained (111) preferentially oriented MgO film has a dielectric constant of 7.0 with a loss factor of 5% and a dielectric strength higher than 8 × 10⁵ V/cm. The optical refractive index, which depends on the film thickness, is 1.71 when the film thickness is 260 nm. The surface structure of the Si substrate is believed to affect the preferential orientation of the sol-gel derived MgO film. Specifically, the microstructures at the interface indicate an interdiffusion of Mg, O, and Si between the film and the substrate.     

Investigation on the orderly growth of thick zinc phthalocyanine films on Ag(100) surface

The growth of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) on Ag(100) surface from monolayer to multilayer was investigated by low-energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction, and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). At monolayer coverage, ZnPc molecules form an ordered film with molecular planes parallel to the substrate. The same structure is maintained as the film thickness increases. HREELS analysis shows that intermolecular π-π interaction dominates during the film growth from monolayer to multilayer. The π-d interaction between the adsorbates and the substrate is only applicable in the first adlayer. Stronger intermolecular-layer interaction is observed at higher coverages.     

Preparation and characterization of an ordered 1-dodecanethiol monolayer on bare Si(111) surface

We have grown 1-dodecandthiol (DDT) monolayer on a bare Si(111) surface through ultraviolet-assisted photochemical reaction. The resulting monolayer was investigated by means of water contact angle measurement, synchrotron radiation-based high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and polarization-dependent near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. These combined probes for characterization reveal a hydrophobic ambient surface; the DDT was directly attached to Si through a Si-S bond, and the molecules formed an ordered monolayer with an average tilt angle of 57° of the alkyl chains relative to the substrate surface.     

HREELS, STM, and STS study of CH(3)-terminated Si(111)-(1x1) surface

An ideally (1x1)-CH(3)(methyl)-terminated Si(111) surface was composed by Grignard reaction of photochlorinated Si(111) and the surface structure was for the first time confirmed by Auger electron spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). HREELS revealed the vibration modes associated to the CH(3)-group as well as the C-Si bond. STM discerned an adlattice with (1x1) periodicity on Si(111) composed of protrusions with internal features, covering all surface terraces. The surface structure was confirmed to be stable at temperatures below 600 K. STS showed that an occupied-state band exists at gap voltage of -1.57 eV, generated by the surface CH(3) adlattice. This CH(3):Si(111)-(1x1) adlayer with high stability and unique electronic property is prospective for applications such as nanoscale lithography and advanced electrochemistry.     

Anisotropic polymerization of a long-chain diacetylene derivative Langmuir-Blodgett film on a step-bunched SiO2/Si surface

Alternating facet/terrace nanostructures were fabricated on a SiO2 surface by step-bunching and thermal oxidation of a vicinal Si(111) substrate, and their influence upon the polymerization direction of a long-chain diacetylene derivative monolayer film was investigated by angle-dependent polarized near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. It was found that the peak intensity of the C 1s-pi transition was stronger when the electric vector plane of the incident X-ray was parallel to the direction of the periodic facet/terrace structures rather than perpendicular to them. On the contrary, a polymer film fabricated on a flat SiO2 surface showed no in-plane anisotropy of the peak intensity. These results indicate that the diacetylene groups in the diacetylene derivative monolayer are preferentially photopolymerized in the direction not across but along the periodic one-dimensional structures on the step-bunched and thermally oxidized SiO2/Si(111) surface.     

Homogeneous, core-shell, and hollow-shell ZnS colloid-based photonic crystals

Ordered ZnS-based colloidal crystals from homogeneous, core-shell, and hollow building blocks were prepared via electrosteric colloid stabilization combined with a convective assembly technique. The polyelectrolyte stabilized colloids assembled into face-centered cubic arrays with the (111) face perpendicular to the substrate. Structure-property correlations were made using scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and UV/visible/near-IR spectroscopy. Multilayer film growth, with film thickness of several micrometers, was achieved. Optical spectra showed (111) stopgaps along with pronounced higher order peaks. The spectral position of the photonic stopgap can be predicted using a volume average refractive index and the Maxwell-Garnett formula for the homogeneous and core-shell particles, respectively. This work holds the promise of harnessing ZnS for optical property engineering and enhanced photonic band gap materials.