Photo-induced C-C reactions on insulators towards photolithography of graphene nanoarchitectures

• On-surface chemistry for atomically precise sp2 macromolecules requires top-down lithographic methods on insulating surfaces in order to pattern the long-range complex architectures needed by the semiconductor industry. Here, we fabricate sp2-carbon nm-thin films on insulators and under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions from photo-coupled brominated precursors. We reveal that covalent coupling is initiated by C-Br bond cleavage through photon energies exceeding 4.4 eV, as monitored by laser desorption ionization (LDI) mass spectrometry (MS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Density functional theory (DFT) gives insight into the mechanisms of C-Br scission and C-C coupling processes. Further, unreacted material can be sublimed and the coupled sp2-carbon precursors can be graphitized by e-beam treatment at 500°C, demonstrating promising applications in photolithography of graphene nanoarchitectures. Our results present UV-induced reactions on insulators for the formation of all sp2-carbon architectures, thereby converging top-down lithography and bottom-up on-surface chemistry into technology.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Organisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Organic Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Fysikalisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Physical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Polymerkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Polymer Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Teoretisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Theoretical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

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