title: Sequential growth in solution of NiFe Prussian blue coordination network nanolayers on Si(100) surfaces.
abstract: Controlling the elaboration of Coordination Networks (CoNet) on surfaces at the nanoscale remains a challenge. One suitable technique is the Sequential Growth in Solution (SGS), which has the advantage to be simple, cheap and fast. We addressed two issues in this article: i) the controlled synthesis of ultra thin films of CoNet (thickness lower than 10 nm), and ii) the investigation of the influence of the precursors' concentration on the growth process. Si(100) was used because it is possible to prepare atomically flat Si-H surfaces, which is necessary for the growth of ultrathin films. We used, as a model system, the sequential reactions of K(4)[Fe(II)(CN)(6)] and [Ni(II)(H(2)O)(6)]Cl(2) that occur by the substitution of the water molecules in the coordination sphere of Ni(II) by the nitrogen atoms of ferrocyanide. We demonstrated that the nature of the deposited film depends mainly on the relative concentration of the anchoring sites versus the precursors' solution. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transformed Infra Red (ATR-FTIR), X-ray reflectivity, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the steps of the growth process.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d'Orsay, UMR CNRS 8182, Université Paris-Sud, F-91405, Orsay, France. stricard@gmwgroup.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tricard
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costa-Coquelard
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Volatron
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fleury
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Huc
authors.forename: Pierre-Antoine
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Albouy
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miserque
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jegou
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palacin
authors.forename: Talal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mallah