Research Projects

Check out our 2018 feature in the Holy Cross Magazine! pp30-31 

Our research focuses on the investigation of binary self assembled monolayers (SAMs) on the surface of gold in ambient conditions to understand how dissimilar compounds mix in two-dimensions. 

We begin by adsorbing molecules to the surface using solution deposition techniques. From there, we use Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) to characterize our samples and obtain images like the ones presented below. We determine the chemical relationships of the molecules on the surface based on the patterns they form on the surface.

Using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) from the Center for Nanoscale Systems, we conduct elemental analysis of our surfaces. In an intra-departmental collaboration with Professor Landis, we probe the stability of our monolayers with Reductive Desorption.