Patterning methods and products

A process for producing a surface-modified layer system comprising a substrate having a surface and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) anchored to at least part of said surface, wherein said SAM is comprised by aryl or rigid alicyclic moiety species, said process comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a SAM anchored to a substrate, wherein said SAM is polymorphic having at least first and second structural forms;
• and
• b) thermally treating said SAM so as to change said SAM from said first structural form to said second structural form.

A surface-modified layer system comprising a substrate having a surface and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) anchored to at least part of said surface, wherein said SAM is comprised by an aryl or rigid alicyclic moiety species, the SAM having a first less stable structural form prior to heat treatment and a second more stable structural form after heat treatment, wherein said second more stable structural form further comprises domain sizes that exceed 105 square nanometers (nm2).

A surface-modified layer system comprising a substrate having a surface and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) anchored to at least part of said surface, wherein said SAM is comprised by a aryl or rigid alicyclic moiety species in a substantially stable structural form derived, in situ, by thermal treatment from a less stable structural form, wherein said SAM is comprised by a compound which comprises an anchor moiety, and an optionally substituted, aryl (including hetero-aryl) moiety and which includes a spacer moiety between the anchor moiety and the aryl moiety, wherein said substrate comprises gold, said anchor moiety comprises thiol, and the spacer group is selected from C2, C4, C6, C8, and C10, alkyl.

A surface-modified layer system comprising a substrate having a surface and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) anchored to at least part of said surface, wherein said SAM is comprised by a aryl or rigid alicyclic moiety species in a substantially stable structural form derived, in situ, by thermal treatment from a less stable structural form, wherein said SAM is comprised by a compound which comprises an anchor moiety, and an optionally substituted, aryl (including hetero-aryl) moiety and which includes a spacer moiety between the anchor moiety and the aryl moiety, wherein said substrate comprises silver, said anchor moiety comprises thiol, and the spacer group is selected from C1, C3, C5, C7, and C9, alkyl.

A surface-modified layer system comprising a substrate having a surface and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) anchored to at least part of said surface, wherein said SAM is comprised by a aryl or rigid alicyclic moiety species in a substantially stable structural form derived, in situ, by thermal treatment from a less stable structural form, wherein said SAM is a 4-(4′-Methyl-biphenyl-4-yl)-alkane-1-thiol.