Adatoms at the Sulfur–Gold Interface in 1-Adamantanethiolate Monolayers, Studied Using Reaction with Hydrogen Atoms and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscopy is used to study monolayers of 1-adamantanethiolate as they are exposed to gas-phase atomic hydrogen. H-atom reaction results in complete removal of the organic monolayer. The relaxation of the reconstruction present at the gold–sulfur interface results in the formation of gold-atom islands, as well as the addition of gold atoms to extant surface defects such as steps and pits. Characterization of these changes shows that for 1-adamantanethiolate monolayers, 0.18 ± 0.033 monolayers of gold adatoms participate in bonding with thiolate sulfur atoms. This results in a 1:1 Au:S ratio, in contrast to the 1:2 Au:S ratio reported for n-alkanethiolate monolayers. The difference in adatom density implies a qualitative difference in binding between n-alkanethiols and 1-adamantanethiols.