Alkylsiloxane self-assembled monolayer formation guided by nanoimprinted Si and SiO2 templates.

Alkylsiloxane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were formed on surface relief created by nanoimprinting and etching recesses into Si and SiO2. Rather than exhibiting the isolated domains seen on unpatterned surfaces after limited formation time, the SAM on nanoimprinted surfaces became continuous and uniform after only a short (∼5–10 min) reaction time. The hydrocarbon chains are densely packed and nearly vertically oriented. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy indicates complete hydrolysis and elimination of Cl from the octadecyltrichlorosilane precursor. The results suggest that the pattern edges enhance the nucleation rate, leading to the rapid coverage, and provide in-plane order within the SAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]