IN-SITU SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY OBSERVATION OF THE SELF-ASSEMBLY PROCESS OF ALKANETHIOLS ON GOLD(111) IN SOLUTION

The self-assembly process of alkanethiols of various chain lengths [CH 3(CH2)(n-1)SH: n = 10, 15, and 18] on a Au(111) surface in very dilute (< 1 mu M) heptane solutions was monitored in situ by scanning tunnel ing microscopy in real time. At the initial stage, adsorbed molecules did not arrange in an ordered structure and vacancy islands of the gol d surface were created. Gold terraces were then covered with stripe an d mesh (p x root 3) structures. An island growth of a densely packed s tructure [(root 3 x root 3)R30 degrees] was observed after the p x roo t 3 structures covered the surface.