The current thesis presents fundamental studies of phthalocyanines (Pcs), a group of organic macro-cycle molecules. The use of phthalocyanine molecular films in devices with a variety of possible technological applications has been the reason of the many studies dedicated to such molecules during the last decades. Core and valence photoelectron spectroscopies (PES), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) techniques are used to study phthalocyanine molecules in gas phase and adsorbed on gold (111) and silicon Si(100)-2x1 substrates. Density functional theory (DFT) is used to obtain further insights in the electronic structure of the phthalocyanines. The aim of our studies is to get a deeper understanding into the molecule-molecule and molecule-substrate interactions, a fundamental requirement for improving the devices based on such molecular materials. Gas phase PES and XAS studies and single molecule DFT calculations are performed on the valence band (VB) of iron phthalocyanine (FePc), manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) and metal-free phthalocyanine (H2Pc). The VB simulations have shown how the metal atom of the Pc influences the inner valence states of the molecules. The HOMO of the H2Pc and FePc is formed by mostly C2p states, whereas the HOMO of MnPc has mainly Mn3d character. PES studies of H2Pc on Au(111) have revealed the influence of the surface on the adsorption of the monolayer. XAS studies indicate formation of ordered monolayer with the Pc ligands parallel to the surface and the change of the molecular tilt angle with increasing thicknesses. For LuPc2 adsorbed on Au(111), STM study demonstrates a formation of bilayer instead of a monolayer. A comparison between the results of LuPc2 adsorbed on pristine or passivated Si(100)-2x1 confirmes the different reactivities of these surfaces: LuPc2 retains many molecular-like characters, when adsorbed on the innert passivated Si. Instead, on the more reactive pristine Si surface, the spectroscopic results have indicated a more significant interaction, possible hybridization and charge redistribution between the molecules and the surface. Moreover, STM images show a modification of the geometrical shape of the molecules, which are proposed to adsorb in two different geometries on the pristine Si surface.

To investigate conditions of silver electroless deposition on silicon (100), optical microscope, atomic force microscope (AFM) and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy were used. Twenty second dipping in 0.8mM AgNO3/4.9% solution coats a silicon (100) wafer with a thin film of silver nanoparticles very well. According to AFM results, the diameter of silver particles is from 50 to 100nm. After deposition, arithmetic average of absolute values roughness (Ra) increased from ~0.7nm to ~1.2nm and the root mean square roughness (Rq) is from ~0.8nm to ~1.5nm. SCN- ions were applied to detect the existence of silver on silicon surface by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and IR spectra demonstrate SCN- is a good adsorbent for silver metal. Patina is the general name of copper basic salts which forms green-blue film on the surface of ancient bronze architectures. Patina formation has been found on the surface of platinum or ruthenium after several scans of cyclic voltammetry in 2mM CuSO4/0.1M K2SO4, pH5 solution. Evidence implies that oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) triggers the patina formation. ORR is an important step of fuel cell process and only few sorts of noble metals like platinum can be worked as the catalyst of ORR. Mechanisms of patination involving ORR were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, optical microscope, AFM, rotating disk electrode and other experimental methods: the occurrence of ORR cause the increase of local pH on electrode, and Cu2+ ions prefer to form Cu2O by reduction. Patina forms while Cu2O is oxidizing back to Cu2+.

This thesis deals with the silicon etching technology. It Examines using of water solution of potassium hydroxide. It focuses on plasma etching of silicon using mixture of CF4 and O2 as the dry way of etching. Important parameters of etching like etching rate of silicon and masking materials, etching selectivity, surface roughness and underetching of mask are determined for both ways. Some additional processes has been examined as well, namely creating of mask of resist and silicon dioxide, lithography process and etching of resist using oxygen plasma.