Thin films -: Custom-made organic surfaces

The physics and chemistry of organic surfaces is a fascinating field of research. Model systems produced by self-assembly of organothiols offer ideal conditions for a systematic investigation of the fundamental properties of such soft surfaces. This article gives an overview of the characterisation of SAMs (self-assembled monolayers) with a multitude of surface analytical techniques and gives basic insight in the high structural quality and the enormous versatility of the organic surfaces made in this way - in an impressively easy method of preparation. The article also describes some elementary examples of application like the deposition of metals, the preparation of biocompatible surfaces and the anchoring of proteins or highly porous molecular frameworks.