The amazing kinetic stability of the high temperature ($\sqrt{3}$ $\times$ 6)rect. striped structure of decanethiol SAMs on Au(111) and other interesting properties. A scanning tunneling microscopy study.

We present an STM study of the properties of the high temperature ($\sqrt{3}$ $\times$ 6)rect. phase of decanethiol SAMs on Au (111). Although this phase is known, it has not been extensively studied. We show a simple reliable way to grow the ($\sqrt{3}$ $\times$ 6) rect. phase and show that its coverage is 75\% of the normal (2 $\sqrt{3}$ $\times$ 3)rect. phase. Although it has lower density compared to the normal alkanethiol SAM structure, it shows a remarkable kinetic stability with respect to uptake of additional alkanethiol molecules and reversion to the normal (2$\sqrt{3}$ $\times$ 3) rect. phase. Other properties of the ($\sqrt{3}$ $\times$ 6)rect. phase will be discussed.