Phase transitions in self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols containing the polar group

Equilibrium states of the system of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-alkanethiol molecules HS(CH2)n−1(X) with polar group X chemiabsorbed on the Au(111) crystal surface are considered. The couplings between the atoms (C, H) of the n-alkanethiols are approximated by the Lennard-Jones potential. The couplings between the n-alkanethiols and the crystal surface are approximated by the 12-3 potential. The interactions of polar groups and the self-images with the metal substrate are taken into consideration. The phase-transition temperatures, the structural order and equilibrium tilt, and the twist and azimuthal angles of the macromolecules, which depend on the dipole moments, are found.