Odd–Even Effect in Electron Beam Irradiation of Hybrid Aromatic–Aliphatic Self-Assembled Monolayers of Fatty Acid

Electron irradiation of aromatic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in combination with different lithographic approaches provides an interesting alternative for high-resolution surface patterning. More recently, it has been also demonstrated that this process can be used carbon nanomembrane (CNM) fabrication, which forms technologically attractive 2D materials, potential applications areas nanotechnology such as ultrafiltration and nanobiosensing. To better understand the relation between original SAM structure resulting CNM formation, current study, we conduct systematic analysis electron a model system deposited on Ag substrates based homologue series biphenyl substituted carboxylic acids [C6H5–C6H4–(CH2)n–COO/Ag, n = 2–6] lengths aliphatic linker defined by number n. Our results X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy irradiated show electron-induced desorption, cross-linking, elimination binding group depend parity parameter (the odd–even effect). observations indicate way controlling thickness purity nanomembranes, are key parameters determining range applications.