Scalable patterning of one-dimensional dangling bond rows on hydrogenated Si(001)

Silicon dangling bonds exposed on the monohydride silicon (001) (Si(001)) surface are highly reactive, thus enabling site-selective absorption of atoms and single molecules into custom patterns designed through the controlled removal of hydrogen atoms. Current implementations of high-resolution hydrogen lithography on the Si(001) surface rely on sequential removal of hydrogen atoms using the tip of a scanning probe microscope. Here, we present a scalable thermal process that yields very long rows of single dimer wide silicon dangling bonds suitable for self-assembly of atoms and molecules into one-dimensional structures of unprecedented length on Si(001). The row consists of the standard buckled Si dimer and an unexpected flat dimer configuration. © 2013 American Chemical Society.