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Self-assembly of the 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane multilayers on Si and hysteretic current–voltage characteristics

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Abstract

We report the deposition of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) multilayers on SiOx/Si(p++) substrates by a layer-by-layer self-assembly process. The multilayers were grafted in a glove box having nitrogen ambient with both humidity and oxygen contents <1 ppm using APTMS solutions prepared in an anhydrous toluene. Deposition of the multilayers has been carried out as a function of solution concentration and grafting time. Characterization of the multilayers using static de-ionized water contact angle, ellipsometry, X-rayphotoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscope measurements revealed that self-assembling of the multilayers takes place in two distinct stages: (i) the first APTMS monolayer chemisorbs on a hydroxylated oxide surface by a silanization process and, (ii) the surface amino group of the first monolayer chemisorbs the hydrolyzed silane group of other APTMS molecules present in the solution, leading to the formation of a bilayer. The second stage is a self-replicating process that results in the layer-by-layer self-assembly of the multilayers with trapped NH3 + ions. The current–voltage characteristics of the multilayers exhibit a hysteresis effect along with a negative differential resistance, suggesting their potential application in the molecular memory devices. A possible mechanism for the observed hysteresis effect based on filling and de-filling of the NH3 + acting as traps is presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technical Physics and Prototype Engineering Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    A.K. Chauhan, D.K. Aswal, S.P. Koiry, S.K. Gupta & J.V. Yakhmi

  2. Physikalisches Institut and Center for Functional Nanostructures, Universität Karlsruhe, 76128, Karlsruhe, Germany

    C. Sürgers

  3. Molecular Nanostructures and Devices Group, Institut d’Electronique, Microelectronique et Nanotechnologie – CNRS, BP 60069, avenue Poincaré, 59652, Villeneuve d’Ascq Cedex, France

    D. Guerin, S. Lenfant & D. Vuillaume

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  1. A.K. Chauhan
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  2. D.K. Aswal
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  8. S. Lenfant
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Correspondence to D.K. Aswal.

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Chauhan, A., Aswal, D., Koiry, S. et al. Self-assembly of the 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane multilayers on Si and hysteretic current–voltage characteristics. Appl. Phys. A 90, 581–589 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-007-4336-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-007-4336-7

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