More that just magnificent views of atoms and
molecules, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, STM, images have
the potential to answer some fundamental questions relating
to surface molecular dynamics and bonding characteristics of
localized species versus more common analytical tools that
provide average of bulk sample information. A special
feature of the STM is utilized in this study which is the
ability to image organic monolayers at liquid-solid
interface at ambient conditions.
For STM analysis of organic fluids, the choice of a
substrate is critical to the success of the images. The
substrate must meet three criteria, the ability to sustain a
tunneling current, retain an atomically flat surface over
the area scanned, and immobilize a monolayer of the sample.
The adsorption geometry created by the liquid crystalline
materials analyzed in this study provided magnificent
detailed features of the sample monolayer on a graphite
substrate. These data provide information about the balance
of intermolecular forces at the interface. It is
illustrated that the quality or amount of information
available from any fluid-solid interfacial image is
dependent upon the existence of molecular symmetry within
the monolayer of the substrate surface. / Graduation date: 1995
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/35215 |
| Date | 14 October 1994 |
| Creators | Marty, Valerie J. |
| Contributors | Watson, Philip R. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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