Well-defined carboxyl-terminated alkyl monolayers grafted onto H-Si(111): packing density from a combined AFM and quantitative IR study.

This work demonstrates that well-defined mixed carboxyl-terminated/methyl-terminated alkyl monolayers can be prepared in one step on H-terminated Si(111) via direct photochemical hydrosilylation of undecylenic acid and 1-decene mixtures. As evidenced by AFM imaging and IR spectroscopy, a final rinse in hot acetic acid leaves the functionalized surface atomically smooth and perfectly free of physisorbed contaminants while unwanted material remains atop the monolayer with most other common solvents. The compositional surface chemistry was determined from a truly quantitative IR (ATR geometry) study in the range of 900-4000 cm(-)(1).