Self-assembly of organometallic clusters onto the surface of gold

• Published in: Thin solid films 2001-12, Vol.401 (1), p.131-137
• Main Authors: Guzman-Jimenez, Ilse Y, Whitmire, K.H, Umezama-Vizzini, Kayo, Colorado, Ramon, Do, Junghwan, Jacobson, Allan, Lee, T.Randall, Hong, Seunghun, Mirkin, Chad A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clusters; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Organometallic; Physics; Self-assembly
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/S0040-6090(01)01616-9

We report the preparation and characterization of thin films generated via the solution-phase self-assembly of organometallic chalcogen-containing cluster compounds onto the surface of gold. The following anionic complexes were used as thin film precursors: [Fe 3(CO) 9E] 2− and [HFe 3(CO) 9E] −, where E=S, Se, and Te. The films were prepared by adsorption from organic solvents (i.e. methanol, acetonitrile, acetone, and dicholoromethane) onto evaporated gold and were characterized by ellipsometry, polarization-modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The data demonstrate that the clusters strongly attach to gold and that the films most likely exist as bilayers rather than monolayers.