Formation of self-assembled monolayers and ceramic films on semiconductor and oxide substrates

Organic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been shown to be effective surfaces for promoting the formation of thin oxide films onto (100) oriented Si from aqueous solutions at low temperatures. This paper reports deposition of SAMs for the first time on other substrates including silicon carbide, silicon-germanium, and sapphire, and of zirconia thin films on SAMs on silica glass and sapphire. Also reported are investigations of the topographies of the substrates, the SAMs, and the oxide films using atomic force microscopy (AFM).