Single crystalline sapphire is an atomically flat substrate with a high transparency in a wide wavelength region. However, its surface is chemically stable so that the modification by a self-assembled monolayer is somewhat difficult. We have used a H2O2 treatment at 70 degrees C to activate the surface and modified with a silan coupling reagent. The modification of the surface is discussed with the water contact angle. Immobilization of citrate-stabilized anionic gold nanoparticles on a cationically modified sapphire surface was carried out. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.