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

Paper SS+EM-WeM7
Replicative Generation of Electrode Structures by SAM-templated Electrometallization

Wednesday, November 2, 2005, 10:20 am, Room 202

Session: Self-Assembled Monolayers
Presenter: M. Buck, University of StAndrews, UK
Authors: I. Thom, University of StAndrews, UK
G. Haehner, University of StAndrews, UK
M. Buck, University of StAndrews, UK
Correspondent: Click to Email
Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiols provide a convenient way to modify electrode surfaces and, thus, to control charge transfer at an electrochemical interface. Adjustment of electrode properties from conducting to blocking is achieved by variation of the SAM forming molecules. Since a variety of methods is available to pattern thiol monolayers, this type of SAM can serve as templates to confine electrochemical processes, e.g. metal deposition. However, in addition to the control of charge transfer, SAMs serve also to control adhesion between deposit and electrode and, therefore, make the generation of metal structures by electrochemical deposition and subsequent transfer to a different substrate possible. Copper structures were produced by electrochemical deposition onto SAM-modified polycrystalline gold electrodes. Selective metal deposition was achieved by use of thiols which differ in their electrochemical blocking properties, namely hexadecane thiol and @omega@-(4'-methyl-biphenyl-4-yl)-methanethiol. After deposition the metal patterns were easily transferred to an insulating substrate by glueing. Characterization of the transferred structures with atomic force microscopy shows that the flatness of the metal surface is essentially determined by the initial SAM carrying substrate electrode. Since the thiol pattern on the substrate electrode remains intact, it can be repetitively used. Therefore, the process allows an easy and fast fabrication of high quality electrode patterns.