| AVS 61st International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Surface Science | Thursday Sessions |
| Session SS+AS+NS-ThA |
| Session: | Semiconductor Surfaces and Interfaces 1 |
| Presenter: | Erik Skibinski, Cornell University |
| Authors: | E.S. Skibinski, Cornell University W.J.I. DeBenedetti, University of Texas at Dallas Y.J. Chabal, University of Texas at Dallas M.A. Hines, Cornell University |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Functionalization reactions leave characteristic patterns on surfaces that can be read by STM, providing insight into reaction mechanisms. The functionalization of silicon surfaces with organic monolayers has attracted interest for applications ranging from chemical and biological sensing to renewable energy. A wide variety of surface functionalization reactions have been developed based on dehydration reactions that target surface -OH groups on oxidized silicon. Uniform functionalization therefore requires a uniform, high density of surface –OH groups. Hydroxylating silicon surfaces without concomitant oxidation of the substrate was long thought impossible; however, a novel three-step strategy was recently reported.1 A hydrogen-terminated silicon surface is first methoxylated in methanol, and then the Si–OCH3 sites are converted first to Si–F then to Si-OH by successive immersion in hydrofluoric acid and water. Original spectroscopic evidence suggested the creation of nanopatterned surface, in which every other site on the surface is functionalized. New STM and spectroscopic data show selective reaction at step edges and an unexpected functionalization pattern. The mechanistic implications of this pattern will be discussed.
1 D. J. Michalak, S. R. Amy, D. Aureau, M. Dai, A. Estève, and Y. J. Chabal, Nat. Materials 9, 266 (2010).