DetailLatest Scientific Results from SPECS Multimethod Cluster System at CEITEC
The Multimethod Cluster System at CEITEC (Czech Republic) was used to study real time nucleation and growth mechanisms of self-assembled organic monolayers
Our customers and partners at CEITEC in Brno, Czech Republic have recently pushed exciting results. In the presented study by Procházka et al. the self-assembly and phase transition of 4,4'-biphenyl dicarboxylic acid on Ag(001) has been characterized by means of real time LEEM, XPS, STM and nc-AFM, supported by sophisticated DFT calculations.
The self assembled monolayer 4,4'-biphenyl dicarboxylic acid is shown to appear in two phases, named α and β phase. The phase transition between the α and β molecular phase was characterized usign the SPM Aarhus 150 at room temperature. The reorientaion of the self-assembled molecular layers could clearly be observed and associated to a specific binding model, verified by XPS studies. The resulting difference in the thus formed unit cell was then observed in the LEEMs diffractive mode, leading to a large scale identification if molecular phases on the surface und LEEM imaging. The transition between the alpha and beta form could in this way be followed in real time (see supplementary material including videos).
This publication has been generated with a multimethod cluster system delivered in 2015 to the CEITEC laboratory. This cluster tool connects various UHV analysis tools such as the FE LEEM P90, a ARPES/XPS system with PHOBOS 150 2D-CCD and the SPM Aarhus 150. The project was realized in cooperation with IonTof and TSST. The analytical intruments are connected to MBE and UHV preparation modules by the SPECS RapidLab linear transfer system.
It is a great example of how different methods play together to give a comprehensive picture of a scientific research question. We are happy to support our partners at CEITEC with our intruments and the capabilities thus provided.
CEITEC offers an online tour through their laboratory, showing the cluster system.