Abstract: The present invention provides a process for partially covering solid crystalline surfaces with lines of selected atoms or molecules, a procedure known as the atomic or molecular ‘patterning’ of such surfaces. The method utilizes a mechanism of Dipole-Induced Assembly (DIA) for the growth of lines of physisorbed dipolar molecules on crystalline surfaces is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, physisorbed 1,5 dichloropentane (DCP) on Si(100)?2×1 at room temperature is shown by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to self-assemble into molecular lines that grow predominantly perpendicular to the Si-dimer rows. Extensive simulations indicate that the trigger for formation of these lines is the displacement of surface charge by the dipolar adsorbate, giving rise to an induced uni-directional surface-field and hence surface buckling.