Atomically Flat Gold for Biomolecule Immobilization and Imaging

Abstract

A method of easily fabricating gold surfaces that are atomically flat (less than 1 nm variation in height) over large areas using mica as a template is outlined. The smooth gold surfaces are prepared by vacuum-depositing gold onto mica surfaces maintained at 300˚C. After deposition of the gold, the surfaces are annealed at 300˚C for a further 16 h before removal from the vacuum chamber. Cryogenically stripping the gold from the mica revealed flat surfaces that allowed ‘defect-free’ self-assembled monolayers to be produced and the imaging of biomolecules with sufficient resolution to ascertain their orientation on the surface.

Manuscript received: 17 September 2001.

Revised version: 15 November 2001.