AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Surface Science Wednesday Sessions
       Session SS+EM-WeM

Invited Paper SS+EM-WeM5
Interaction Pathways of Vapor Deposited Metal Atoms with Self-Assembled Monolayers

Wednesday, November 2, 2005, 9:40 am, Room 202

Session: Self-Assembled Monolayers
Presenter: D. Allara, Pennsylvania State University
Authors: D. Allara, Pennsylvania State University
N. Winograd, Pennsylvania State University
A.V. Walker, Washington University
T. Tighe, Pennsylvania State University
T. Daniel, Pennsylvania State University
O. Cabarcos, Pennsylvania State University
S. Uppili, Pennsylvania State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
With rapid progress being made in the fabrication and testing of molecule-based electronic devices in the past several years one of the critical issues that has arisen is the character of the metal-molecule interfaces and interphases of vapor-deposited top contact device structures. Results will be discussed that show a broad strategy for developing correlations between the interactions of a wide variety of metals with a range of alkanethiolate/Au{111} self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) carrying varied terminal groups. The metals include inert coinage metals, one-electron donor alkali metal and aggressively reactive metals such as Ti. The SAMs range from those with hydrocarbon surface character to others with high electron acceptor character (­NO@sub 2@, C=N, C=O moieties) and including "solvating" types of groups such as ­OCH3. The use of 4-5 different in-situ surface characterization tools augmented by DFT calculations aids greatly in achieving incisive information ranging from metal atom surface scattering to the evolution of the metal-molecule interface chemistry and the metal film morphology. Details include the distribution of metal and reaction products throughout the SAM structure, both laterally and extending to the substrate interface. Coupling this information with the character of the SAM/base electrode interface can provide critical information to aid fundamental interpretations of device behavior.