Nanosized tellurium clusters grown at thiolated β-cyclodextrin molecular template modified electrodes: Electrochemical deposition and STM characterization

Abstract

We report the electrochemical preparation of tellurium nanoclusters at Au(111) electrodes modified with molecular templates. The molecular templates were obtained by properly arranging thiolated β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) electrodes. Tellurium particles of as small as 1–2 nm in diameter and ∽2 Å in height were observed by in situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope (STM) experiments during the electrochemical deposition. The seeding and growth kinetics of the nanoclusters were examined through voltammetry and STM measurements. The tellurium nanoclusters thus prepared on the mixed SAM-covered gold electrode were shown to have an n-type semiconductor property by photoelectrochemical experiments.