Structural Rearrangement of C₇₀ Monolayers Induced by Octanethiol Adsorption

Mixed monolayers of C₇₀ and octanethiol are prepared on Au(111) by a sequential adsorption method. A partial C₇₀ monolayer is first formed and characterized, followed by the vapor deposition of octanethiol. This results in a well-ordered alkanethiol film where single C₇₀ molecules and small molecular clusters are located at domain boundaries and in disordered regions. Substrate step defects have a large influence on the spatial distribution of C₇₀; adjacent to a substrate defect, C₇₀ binds preferentially on the upper terrace and is depleted on the lower terrace. We explain these observations as resulting from the kinetics of alkanethiol monolayer formation, and we present a simple model for the evolution of surface structure in the C₇₀/octanethiol system.