| Films of a methoxy-terminated alkanethiol on Au{lcub}111{rcub} substrates were exposed to a variety of metals evaporated by a resistively heated tungsten wire. The metals used in these investigations (Au, Cu, Tb, Ti) were chosen both for electrical properties, known uses in the microelectronics industry, and/or single isotopic abundance. The amount of metal deposition was quantified by a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) calibrated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements.; In the copper system, copper both penetrates the film and weakly interacts with the SAM termini. The penetration of the film and subsequent reaction at the underlying substrate causes a disorder within the SAM and does not eliminate the penetration pathway, allowing penetration at higher exposures. The weak interaction at the termini is determined to be solvation-like, providing a quasi-isotropic interface governed by these weak solvation forces.; Titanium aggressively reacts with the monolayer, eventually destroying it. Titanium simultaneously penetrates the film, reacts with the termini, and reacts with the carbon backbone. Evidence of this backbone reaction is observed in the formation of metal carbide species.; As terbium is deposited upon the monolayer, a competition between reaction pathways emerges as the terbium either reacts at the vacuum interface or penetrates the monolayer. Reaction at the vacuum interface quenches with 0.75 ML of terbium and penetration ceases at 2 ML. Above 2 ML exposure, the terbium atoms adsorb atop the monolayer.; At room temperature, gold continuously penetrates through the monolayer and incorporates into the underlying substrate. Gold does not interact with the methoxy termini and, furthermore, does not affect the penetration pathway. The kinetics of gold penetration through the methoxy SAM indicate that metal penetration begins at 124 ± 3K at a rate of ∼2 atoms/nm 2·min. Additionally, the rate of penetration is dependant on the underlying substrate coverage, and not on temperature. |
