Molecular structure of octadecylphosphonic acids during their self-assembly on α-Al2O3(0001).

The formation of octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) from 2-propanol solutions on hydroxylated α-Al2O3(0001) surfaces was studied in situ and in real time at the solid/liquid interface. Time-resolved vibrational spectra from sum-frequency generation (SFG) of C-H stretching modes revealed contributions from ODPA's alkyl backbone and the terminal methyl group as well as vibrational bands that originated from the presence of 2-propanol molecules at the α-Al2O3 surface. 2-Propanol signatures in SFG spectra decreased during SAM formation. This is due to adsorption of ODPA molecules which trigger desorption of 2-propanol from the α-Al2O3(0001) surface, so that these sites can be occupied by ODPA molecules. SAM formation was studied for different bulk concentrations of ODPA which changed substantially both the quality and the coverage of the final SAM. At initial stages of SAM growth, SFG spectra are dominated by methylene contributions and are indicative for a low molecular order and coverage of ODPA molecules. For concentrations of ODPA ≤2 mM this situation did not change within reasonable adsorption times (∼16 h) while for 5 and 30 mM concentrations a dramatic increase in molecular order and coverage within the first 2 h of adsorption is observed. Thermodynamic analysis using Langmuir adsorption kinetics provided equilibrium constants and the Gibbs free energy of adsorption between -24 and -28 kJ mol-1.

Nanocylindrical confinement imparts highest structural order in molecular self-assembly of organophosphonates on aluminum oxide.

We report the impact of geometrical constraint on intramolecular interactions in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkylphosphonates grown on anodically oxidized aluminum (AAO). Molecular order in these films was determined by sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy, a more sensitive measure of order than infrared absorption spectroscopy. Using SFG we show that films grown on AAO are, within detection limits, nearly perfectly ordered in an all-trans alkyl chain configuration. In marked contrast, films formed on planar, plasma-oxidized aluminum oxide or α-Al2O3 (0001) are replete with gauche defects. We attribute these differences to the nanocylindrical structure of AAO, which enforces molecular confinement.

Lubrication of Individual Microcontacts by a Self-Assembled Alkyl Phosphonic Acid Monolayer on α-Al2O3(0001).

We report on the tribological behavior of a self-assembled alkyl phosphonic acid monolayer on the microscale using the colloidal probe technique. Friction-load data and adhesion forces were measured with borosilicate glass particles on uncoated and octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) coated α-Al2O3(0001) surfaces. A significant decrease in friction force was observed after surface coating, while the adhesion force was only moderately reduced. We assume the lubrication effect of the ODPA self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to be close to the maximum obtainable of alkyl phosphonic acids in the studied system due to the high molecular order which was confirmed by vibrational sum-frequency generation. At small loads, a nonlinear dependence of friction force to load was maintained after surface coating. However, a shift from a contact behavior well described by the DMT model toward the JKR model occurred that is possibly related to the altered elastic properties of the coated surface. With increasing load, a linear friction-load behavior was observed on the coated samples. Molecular plowing and adhesive interactions were identified as responsible mechanisms. In all friction experiments, we could not detect any wear neither of the colloidal probes nor at the surfaces of uncoated and coated samples. This proves the high wear resistivity of the studied ODPA SAM.

Self-Assembled Monolayers Get Their Final Finish via a Quasi-Langmuir-Blodgett Transfer.

The growth of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) molecules on α-Al2O3(0001) and subsequent dewetting of the SAMs were studied with a combination of in situ sum-frequency generation (SFG) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Although SAM growth after deposition times >8 h reduces to nearly negligible values, the resultant ODPA SAMs in solution are still not in a well-ordered state with the alkyl chains in all-trans configurations. In fact, in situ SFG spectroscopy revealed a comparatively high concentration of gauche defects of the SAM in the ODPA 2-propanol solution even after a growth time of 16 h. Here, results of the MD simulations strongly suggest that defects can be caused by ODPA molecules which are not attached to the substrate but are incorporated into the SAM layer with the polar headgroup oriented into the 2-propanol solvent. This inverted adsorption geometry of additional ODPA molecules blocks adsorption sites and thus stabilizes the SAM without improving ordering to an extent that all molecules are in the all-trans configuration. While persistent in solution, the observed defects can be healed out when the SAMs are transferred from the solvent to a gas phase. During this process, a quasi-Langmuir-Blodgett transfer of molecules takes place which drives the SAM into a higher conformational state and significantly improves its quality.

Indentation and self-healing mechanisms of a self-assembled monolayer--a combined experimental and modeling study.

A combination of in situ vibrational sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy and molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations has allowed us to study the effects of indentation of self-assembled octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) monolayers on α-Al2O3(0001). Stress-induced changes in the vibrational signatures of C-H stretching vibrations in SFG spectra and the results of MD simulations provide clear evidence for an increase in gauche-defect density in the monolayer as a response to indentation. A stress-dependent analysis indicates that the defect density reaches saturation at approximately 155 MPa. After stress is released, the MD simulations show an almost instantaneous healing of pressure-induced defects in good agreement with experimental results. The lateral extent of the contact areas was studied with colocalized SFG spectroscopy and compared to theoretical predictions for pressure gradients from Hertzian contact theory. SFG experiments reveal a gradual increase in gauche-defect density with pressure before saturation close to the contact center. Furthermore, our MD simulations show a spatial anisotropy of pressure-induced effects within ODPA domains: molecules tilted in the direction of the pressure gradient increase in tilt angle while those on the opposite side form gauche-defects.

22-Gb/s Long Wavelength VCSELs.

1.55-microm vertical cavity surface-emitting low-parasitic lasers show open eyes up to 22-Gb/s modulation speed. Uncooled error-free operation over a wide temperature range up to 85 degrees C under constant bias conditions is demonstrated at 12.5-Gb/s data rate. At these fixed bias conditions the laser characteristics are practically invariant with temperature. These are the highest data-rates reported from a long-wavelength VCSEL structure to date.

Dynamic wetting with two competing adsorbates.

We study the dynamic properties of a model for wetting with two competing adsorbates on a planar substrate. The two species of particles have identical properties and repel each other. Starting with a flat interface one observes the formation of homogeneous droplets of the respective type separated by nonwet regions where the interface remains pinned. The wet phase is characterized by slow coarsening of competing droplets. Moreover, in 2+1 dimensions an additional line of continuous phase transition emerges in the bound phase, which separates an unordered phase from an ordered one. The symmetry under interchange of the particle types is spontaneously broken in this region and finite systems exhibit two metastable states, each dominated by one of the species. The critical properties of this transition are analyzed by numeric simulations.