NANOMETER-SCALE WIRES OF MONOLAYER HEIGHT ALKANETHIOLS ON ALGAAS GAASHETEROSTRUCTURES BY SELECTIVE CHEMISORPTION/

Self-assembled nanometer-scale wires (SANWs) composed of octadecylthio l [ODT, CH3(CH2)(17)SH] have been selectively formed on the GaAs surfa ce of an AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure. The sample grown by metal organi c chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) was cleaved to expose the AlGaAs/G aAs heterostructure in a solution containing the ODT molecules. Both s urface properties and morphology of these wires have been investigated simultaneously by scanning probe microscopy. SANWs as narrow as 10 nm in width and similar to 1.0 nm in height were observed. The inability to form an ODT monolayer on the AlGaAs surface was attributed to the formation of an oxide layer.