AVS 49th International Symposium
    Nanometer Structures Thursday Sessions
       Session NS-ThA

Paper NS-ThA4
Functionalizing Molecular Lines on H-Si(100)

Thursday, November 7, 2002, 3:00 pm, Room C-207

Session: Nanowires
Presenter: P. Kruse, National Research Council of Canada
Authors: P. Kruse, National Research Council of Canada
D.D.M. Wayner, National Research Council of Canada
R.A. Wolkow, National Research Council of Canada
Correspondent: Click to Email
SPM-based lithography on H-terminated Si(100) and Si(111) surfaces has received considerable attention in recent years. It is based on stepwise controlled removal of H-atoms and subsequent reaction of molecules with the resulting Si-radicals (dangling bonds). Previously, we have reported the remarkable capacity of styrene to induce a chain reaction on these surfaces, resulting in self-directed line growth along dimer rows in the case of the Si(100) surface.@footnote 1@ We have now examined a number of avenues for creating lines with built-in functionality. The incorporation of heteroatoms such as nitrogen in vinyl pyridine would be desirable, but the facile interaction of the lone electron pair of the nitrogen atom with the silicon dangling bonds prevents line growth. Aldehydes such as benzaldehyde are shown to undergo the same line growing mechanism as their vinyl compound analogues such as styrene. This offers the unique opportunity to create functionalized molecular lines by exposing the surface to dialdehydes. It is shown that in a rigid molecule such as terephthaldicarboxyaldehyde only one aldehyde group per molecule reacts with the surface whereas the other group is available for further reactions. This study seeks to open avenues for customizing molecular lines from self-directed growth for a wide variety of applications. Lines with preserved reactive groups or metal-complexing abilities can serve as devices or conducting wires on the surface and become building blocks of molecular electronics. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ G.P. Lopinski, D.D.M. Wayner, and R.A. Wolkow, Nature 406, 48 (2000).