Resolving the Au-adatom-alkanethiolate bonding site on Au(111) with domain boundary imaging using high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy

The high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging is used to study the bonding sites for Au-adatom-octanethiolate within the ([square root]3x[square root]3)R30 [degree] structure on Au(111). The standard ([square root]3x[square root]3)R30 [degree] alkanethiol SAM on Au(111) is found to consist of domains with Au-adatom-octanethiolate occupying the fcc hollows site, alongside domains where the hcp hollow site is occupied.