Growth mode of 2-mercaptobenzoxazole on Cu(100) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

The adsorption of 2-mercaptobenzoxazole (C7H5NOS) on Cu(100) at room temperature was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. The deposition was performed in ultrahigh vacuum in the range of exposure 0.15-90 L by sublimation of the molecule. After the exposure of 0.8 L it is possible to locate ordered domains with well-defined parallel rows. After 38 L of deposition the surface appears completely covered by rounded protrusions randomly distributed. These results suggest a Stranski-Krastanov growth mode: initially an ordered monolayer forms and above this layer other molecules are adsorbed with a random distribution. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.