“Turning the corner” on controlled molecular nanostructure formation on hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces

COLL 307

Gino A. DiLabio, Gino.DiLabio@nrc.ca, National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council of Canada, 11421 Saskatchewean Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9
Linear nanostructures of organic molecules can be grown on hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces.[1] The growth processes occur by a radical-mediated mechanism and is “self-directed” on anisotropic surfaces such as H-Si(100)-2×1 and H-Si(100)-3×1. While control of nanostructure composition and extent of growth were relatively straight-forward to establish, directional control has been more elusive. However, as will be demonstrated in this presentation, recent efforts[2] in this area have been somewhat successful and it is now possible to influence the direction of growth of molecular nanostructures on silicon.

1. Lopinski, G. P.; Wayner, D. D. M.; Wolkow, R. A. Self-Directed Growth of Molecular Nanostructures on Silicon. Nature 2000, 406, 48-51.

2. Zikovsky, J.; Dogel, S.; Haider, M. B.; DiLabio, G. A.; Wolkow, R. A. Self-Directed Growth of Contiguous Perpendicular Molecular Lines on H-Si(100) Surfaces. J. Phys. Chem. A 2007, ASAP Article.