The end-group dominated molecular orientation in the azobenzene self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), CnAzoC2SH (n=1-4), on gold was evaluated for the first time by grazing incidence reflection absorption FTIR spectroscopy (RA-FTIR). All these azobenzene SAMs have highly-organized and closely-parked structures, with the molecule tilting away gradually from surface normal direction with the increase of end group alkyl length.
Mutual coupling of surface electromagnetic wave between different silver particles onsilver island substrates is realized experimentally and its effect on surface enhanced infrared spec-troscopy is studied. Silvcr island substrates of different size and distribution of silver particleshave been prepared by the vacuum evaporation and rapid thermal annealing, and characterizedby atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-visiblc spectroscopy. The surface enhanced infraredspectra of 4-Octyl-4’-(3-carboxy-trimethylene -oxy)-azobenzene (referred as ABD) LB monolayerare studied on such silver island films. The results elucidates the important role of the coupling ofsurface electromagnetic wave between silver particles in surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy.
