GOLDEN INTERFACES - THE SURFACE OF SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYERS

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols and disulfides on gol d (see Figure) form organic interfaces with properties largely control led by the end groups of the molecules composing the film. Scanning tu nneling microscopy (STM) at picoamperes proves to be a powerful techni que for probing the surface structure of such SAMs down to the sub-ang strom level. The application of STM to these systems and the structure -property information obtained is reviewed.