Au(111) Gold Substrates (Gold-on-Glass) | arrandee™
Sold in cases of 50 substrates · minimum order quantity: 1 case (50 pcs)
This is the laboratory standard for atomic-scale scanning probe microscopy. Flame-anneal it and you get flawless, atomically flat Au(111) terraces several hundred nanometers wide.
12×12mm is currently unavailable – 11×11mm remains in stock. Inquiries for 12×12mm are still welcome.
Product Description
Each arrandee™ Gold on Glass substrate is a 99.999% pure Au(111) gold film, roughly 250 nm ± 20 nm thick, deposited onto premium D263 borosilicate glass over a thin chromium adhesion layer. It ships in the standard 11×11 mm format (glass approx. 0.7 mm thick) – the 12×12 mm format is currently unavailable, but inquiries are welcome. Substrates are packed in inert-gas-flushed glass tubes that protect the surface until you're ready to flame-anneal it. Custom sizes and coatings are available on request.
What These Substrates Are Used For
Most labs use our gold-on-glass substrates for scanning probe microscopy (SPM, AFM, STM), where the atomically flat Au(111) terraces give a clean, reproducible surface for imaging and molecular-scale measurements. They're just as common as the base for self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), and as working electrodes in electrochemistry such as cyclic voltammetry and EC-STM. In the life-science and bioengineering literature, the same product is sometimes described as a gold-coated microscope slide or gold-coated coverslip, used as a conductive, atomically smooth support for cell and biomolecule imaging. If you're weighing gold-on-glass against mica, single-crystal, or template-stripped gold, our substrate comparison guide walks through the trade-offs.
Technical Specifications
Precise parameters for demanding microscopic investigations
Applications & Advantages
Typical Applications
- Au(111) Substrates for STM: High-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy for imaging molecular structures.
- Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs): Straightforward functionalization with thiol-based organic molecules.
- Gold Substrates for Electrochemistry: Studies at the electrolyte/electrode interface.
- Plasmonics & Biosensors: Substrate for SPR (Surface Plasmon Resonance) and SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy).
Your Advantages with arrandee™
- Cost savings: Over 80% cheaper than bulk gold single crystals at comparable surface quality.
- No polishing required: Because the atomic flatness is produced purely thermally, you skip the mechanical polishing step entirely and save lab time.
- Controlled vapor deposition: Gold and the thin chromium adhesion layer beneath it are deposited under controlled vacuum conditions for a uniform, reproducible surface.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Answers about the use and properties of our Au(111) substrates
What is an Au(111) substrate?
An Au(111) substrate is an extremely thin, single-crystal-like oriented gold layer on a glass support. Because of the hexagonal packing of gold atoms in this crystallographic plane, heating the surface produces atomically flat terraces well suited to high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Which gas is needed for flame annealing?
We recommend using a propane or butane gas flame (camping gas torch). Avoid an excess of oxygen, which would produce too hot a flame and risk melting the glass plate.
How long can the substrates be stored?
The sealed glass tubes mean the substrates are, in theory, shelf-stable indefinitely. In practice, gold surfaces pick up atmospheric oxygen and hydrocarbons over time, so we recommend annealing the substrate freshly in the lab right before use.
What sizes and pricing are available for Au(111) gold substrates?
Our gold-on-glass substrates are available in the standard 11x11 mm size at €25 per substrate, sold in cases of 50 substrates per order. The 12x12 mm size is currently unavailable, but inquiries are welcome. Custom sizes and coatings can be arranged on request.
Is gold on glass the same as a gold-coated microscope slide or coverslip?
Yes – "gold on glass", "gold-coated microscope slide", and "gold-coated coverslip" all describe the same underlying product: a thin, high-purity gold film on a glass support. Which term is used often just depends on the field: surface scientists tend to say "gold-on-glass" or "Au(111) substrate", while life-science and bioengineering labs more often say "gold-coated coverslip" or "gold-coated microscope slide".
Going Further
Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold
How to prepare and characterize thiol-based SAMs on Au(111) gold substrates.
Read the SAM GuideGold Substrate Comparison
Gold-on-glass vs. mica vs. single crystal vs. template-stripped gold, compared.
Compare SubstratesCited in Published Research
A selection of peer-reviewed studies using arrandee™ Au(111) gold substrates
Heat transfer in metallic nanometre-sized gaps
López-Nebreda, Agraït et al. · Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Read the PaperDevelopment of a Nanostructured Platform for Identifying HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Cells
arrandee Au(111) gold plates used as the flat gold surface for AFM & SERS characterization
Read the PaperOptoregulated force application to cellular receptors using molecular motors
Mechanobiology / molecular motor research team
Read the Paper
