Room temperature molecular resolution nanopatterning of cyclopentene monolayers on Si(100) via feedback controlled lithography

Molecularly precise nanopatterning is demonstrated for a saturated organic monolayer on the Si(100) surface using room temperature ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy. In particular, feedback controlled lithography enables the clean desorption of individual molecules from a highly-ordered cyclopentene monolayer at moderate negative sample bias, resulting in the exposure of isolated silicon dimers on an otherwise organically passivated surface. The quality and uniformity of the cyclopentene passivation layer is also quantified with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy following exposure to ambient conditions, revealing that complete formation of the native oxide on silicon is suppressed for time scales exceeding 100 days. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.