Characterization and nanopatterning of functional organics on hydrogen-terminated silicon(111) and epitaxially grown graphene substrates

In order to fully realize the potential of hybrid organic-semiconductor devices for use as powerful biological sensors and molecular electronics platforms, work here is presented in several stages. First, a battery of characterization techniques is presented to illustrate highly detailed information about bromine functionalized monolayers on silicon. Importantly, the bromine functionalized monolayer studied in greatest detail in this work is shown to be fully conjugated to the surface, thus retaining an ideal electronic structure for sensing applications. Next, a strategy for post-chemistry on halogentated monolayers is demonstrated via Sonogashira coupling chemistry. Having achieved this milestone, Field Induced Oxidation is explored as a means of nanopatterning halogenated organics by utilizing it as a negative resist. It is then demonstrated that such a technique can be utilized to achieve heteromolecular nanopatterns on silicon. Finally, the surface chemistry of epitaxially grown graphene on silicon carbide (0001) is studied by an array of scanning probe techniques that reveal the important role that the interface layer plays on the surface chemistry, a vital step in order to proceed with future organic chemistry patterning on the graphene surface.