Fabrication of molecular nanopatterns at aluminium oxide surfaces by nanoshaving of self-assembled monolayers of alkylphosphonates.

Nanoshaving, by tracing an atomic force microscope probe across a surface at elevated load, has been used to fabricate nanostructures in self-assembled monolayers of alkylphosphonates adsorbed at aluminium oxide surfaces. The simple process is implemented under ambient conditions. Because of the strong bond between the alkylphosphonates and the oxide surface, loads in excess of 400 nN are required to pattern the monolayer.

Generic methods for micrometer- and nanometer-scale surface derivatization based on photochemical coupling of primary amines to monolayers of aryl azides on gold and aluminum oxide surfaces.

A series of aryl azide terminated thiols and phosphonic acids has been synthesized, and used to prepare self-assembled monolayers on (respectively) gold and aluminum oxide surfaces. The rates of photoactivation were determined using contact angle measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The behavior of a diazirine functionalized aryl thiol was also studied.

Synthesis, monolayer formation, characterization, and nanometer-scale photolithographic patterning of conjugated oligomers bearing terminal thioacetates.

The synthesis of alpha-thioacetate terminated quaterthiophene and phenylene-thiophene materials, possessing thioacetate, oxetane, and alkyl groups at their omega-termini, is described. After deprotection these molecules were adsorbed onto Au films and the resulting self-assembled monolayers were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and friction force microscopy (FFM). FFM indicated that monolayers formed by the dithioacetates had the highest coefficients of friction, followed by the oxetane-terminated adsorbates, with the alkyl-functionalized materials showing the lowest friction coefficients.