title: A low energy electron microscopy study of the initial growth, structure, and thermal stability of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid domains on Cu(001).
abstract: The growth of 4,4(')-biphenyldicarboxylic acid (BDA) on Cu(001) has been studied using low energy electron microscopy and selective area low energy electron diffraction. The emergence of large islands and hydrogen bonding to perpendicularly oriented, adjacent molecules is confirmed. The two benzene rings of adsorbed BDA are twisted along the molecular axis. Unconventional growth of the domains, followed by a second nucleation stage, is observed at room temperature. This unanticipated feature is attributed to the accumulation of stress in the islands. Ostwald ripening in the films and the decay of BDA domains at 448 K exhibits features that are consistent with diffusion limited behavior.
authors.affiliation: Physics of Interfaces and Nanomaterials, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, NL-7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fawad S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Khokhar
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Gastel
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Harold J W
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zandvliet
authors.forename: Bene
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Poelsema
mesh_terms: D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: C535263:4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids; D003300:Copper