Quantitative analysis of temperature effects in radiation damage of thiolate-based self-assembled monolayers

Following our earlier finding of temperature effects in the radiation damage of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) we investigated in detail the x-ray-induced modification of aliphatic and aromatic thiolate-based SAMs formed from dodecanethiol and biphenylthiol on gold substrates as representative test systems. For six sample temperatures between 50 and 300K we measured cross sections and saturation behaviour for the most prominent irradiation-induced reactions, including desorption of hydrocarbon fragments, breaking of the headgroup-substrate bond, and formation of cross-linking networks and secondary bonds of the headgroup atoms within the layer. The results are discussed.