Ex-situ prepared films of 4-aminothiophenol on Au(1 1 1): photoemission, NEXAFS and STM measurements

Ex-situ prepared films of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) on Au(1 1 1) have been studied by core-level photoemission using synchrotron radiation, ultra-high-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (UHV-STM, STS), and X-ray absorption (NEXAFS). Photoemission measurements suggest that the film contains a relatively low percentage of 4-ATP bonded to the Au surface, with the presence of free 4-ATP, with oxidised and possibly dimerised molecules also present. We find a lower oxide content than has previously been observed, with well-resolved STM images. These images show a disruption of the long range order of the Au(1 1 1)-(22 × √3) reconstruction, with local nucleation of the reconstruction apparently induced by the 4-ATP, and bias-dependent contrast images. This latter effect, together with the asymmetry observed in STS, is ascribed to the presence of oriented molecular dipole layers between the metal and the organic material. NEXAFS data suggest a broadly upright geometry, with, however, considerable uncertainties.