We present experimental results and theoretical simulations of the adsorption behavior of the metal-organic precursor Co2(CO)8 on SiO2 surfaces after application of two different pre-treatment steps, namely by air plasma cleaning or a focused electron beam pre-irradiation. We observe a spontaneous dissociation of the precursor molecules as well as auto-deposition of cobalt on the pre-treated SiO2 surfaces. We also find that the differences in metal content and relative stability of these deposits depend on the pre-treatment conditions of the substrate. Transport measurements of these deposits are also presented. We are led to assume that the degree of passivation of the SiO2 surface by hydroxyl groups is an important controlling factor in the dissociation process. Our calculations of various slab settings using dispersion corrected density functional theory support this assumption. We observe physisorption of the precursor molecule on a fully hydroxylated SiO2 surface (untreated surface) and chemisorption on a partially hydroxylated SiO2 surface (pre-treated surface) with a spontaneous dissociation of the precursor molecule. In view of these calculations, we discuss the origin of this dissociation and the subsequent autocatalysis.
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