Characterization of the adsorption of ω-(thiophene-3-yl alkyl) phosphonic acid on metal oxides with AR-XPS

The aim of the work discussed in this paper was to characterize adsorbed self-assembled monolayers on different metal oxide substrates with angle-resolved XPS measurements. The substrates used were silicon wafers (100) coated with 300 nm Al, Ta, or Ti. They were coated with acids by immersing them in an ethanol solution. The orientation of long-chain organic acids adsorbed on metal oxides has been successfully identified by angle-resolved XPS. On Al, Ta, and Ti substrates, C-11 chains are orientated in the right manner, i.e. with the phosphonic group at the bottom and the thiophene group on top. The orientations of the C-2 and C-6 chains are not clear. The thickness of the layers could be obtained by using Tougaard nanostructure analysis, and it shows monolayers. A model of the chemical bonds between the phosphonic group and the metal could be developed from the chemical shift. For titanium, all three P-O bonds bind to the metal substrate, whereas only the P-O(H) bond binds to the metal on aluminium and tantalum.