ABSTRACT:
The control of the lateral assembly and spatial arrangement of micro- and nano-objects at interfaces is a prerequisite for potential applications in the field of nanoscience and technology. To create two-dimensional patterns, one can take advantage of active manipulation techniques, such as photolithography, electron beam lithography, and soft lithography. Self-assembly methods provide an alternative approach to build defined structures with dimensions on the nanometer scale. Self-assembly is a natural phenomenon that can be observed in many biological, chemical, and physical processes. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are ordered molecular assemblies formed by the adsorption of an active surfactant on a solid surface. In this contribution, different approaches for building, characterizing and manipulating SAMs will be demonstrated. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) technique has been utilized in this study.