Organic surface science:: Creating order and complexity using self-assembly

Surfaces of organic materials are receiving an increased attention since their physical and chemical properties can be tailored very specifically by the choice of an appropriate organic molecule. The fabrication of well-defined organic surfaces with a high degree of structural order, however, is not straightforward. In many cases the preferred route is to deposit organic molecules on a solid, inorganic substrate. The growth of soft matter, molecules, on hard matter, metals, semiconductors or insulators, however, requires a detailed understanding of the substrate-adlayer interaction on a molecular level. Here we will discuss typical problems encountered in the epitaxy of organic molecules on inorganic substrates. Some basic concepts are outlined and illustrated, with particular emphasis on the epitaxial growth of organic semiconductors relevant for making molecular electronics devices and on the formation of selfassembled organothiolate monolayers on metal surfaces.