Fabrication of octadecyl and octadecanethiolate self-assembled monolayers on oxide-free Si(111) with a one-cell process

Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of 1-octadecene (ODE) and 1-octadecanethiol (ODT) were deposited on an oxide-free Si(111) surface with a one-cell method. The etching and SAM deposition of Si(111) were performed in one cell containing immiscible solutions in two layers: an aqueous solution of NH₄F and a toluene solution of organic SAM precursors (ODE and ODT). To remove surface Si oxides, the Si(111) surface was initially etched in the lower layer of NH ₄F solution. The Si as etched was subsequently moved directly to the upper solution of the precursors for deposition of the SAM under illumination of white light. This one-cell approach avoids the Si surface, as etched, coming in contact with the atmosphere, so eliminating oxidation and contamination. The ODE and ODT SAM were characterized with measurements with an atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The resulting ODE SAM was more stable than the ODT SAM and exhibited satisfactory resistance to oxidation under the ambient atmosphere. The ODT SAM prepared with this one-cell method exhibited a resistance to atmospheric oxidation better than with a two-cell method.