Effects of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of a few different aminothiophenols (ATPs) on growth, morphology, and electrical properties of polyaniline have been studied at gold electrodes employing current sensing atomic force microscopy. The 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) SAM showed the best capability of shuttling electrons from the gold electrode to the solution species, and the 4-ATP SAM covered electrode not only showed the best kinetics for the film growth but also produced the film of the highest electrical conductivity. The vertical conductivity of the film ranged from 58 S cm(-1) for a film prepared at a bare gold electrode to as high as 148 S cm(-1) for a film obtained at the 4-ATP SAM covered electrode. The conductivity was shown to depend on the thickness of the films as well as how they were prepared. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.