Orbital resolution of molecules covalently attached to a clean semiconductor surface

Real-space imaging with pattern recognition of a ligand-protected Ag374 nanocluster at sub-molecular resolution

High-resolution real-space imaging of nanoparticle surfaces is desirable for better understanding of surface composition and morphology, molecular interactions at the surface, and nanoparticle chemical functionality in its environment. However, achieving molecular or sub-molecular resolution has proven to be very challenging, due to highly curved nanoparticle surfaces and often insufficient knowledge of the monolayer composition. Here, we demonstrate sub-molecular resolution in scanning tunneling microscopy imaging of thiol monolayer of a 5 nm nanoparticle Ag₃₇₄ protected by tert-butyl benzene thiol. The experimental data is confirmed by comparisons through a pattern recognition algorithm to simulated topography images from density functional theory using the known total structure of the Ag₃₇₄ nanocluster. Our work demonstrates a working methodology for investigations of structure and composition of organic monolayers on curved nanoparticle surfaces, which helps designing functionalities for nanoparticle-based applications.

Translating high-resolution imaging methods to the curved organic surface of a nanoparticle has been challenging. Here, the authors are able to spatially resolve the sub-molecular surface details of a silver nanocluster by comparing scanning tunneling microscopy images and simulated topography data through a pattern recognition algorithm.

Correlation Effects in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Images of Molecules Revealed by Quantum Monte Carlo

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy probe the local density of states of single molecules electrically insulated from the substrate. The experimental images, although usually interpreted in terms of single-particle molecular orbitals, are associated with quasiparticle wave functions dressed by the whole electron-electron interaction. Here we propose an ab initio approach based on quantum Monte Carlo to calculate the quasiparticle wave functions of molecules. Through the comparison between Monte Carlo wave functions and their uncorrelated Hartree-Fock counterparts we visualize the electronic correlation embedded in the simulated STM images, highlighting the many-body features that might be observed.

Resolving molecular orbitals self-decoupled from semiconductor surfaces

Molecular orbitals of chemisorbed nitrosobenzene are electronically decoupled from a clean semiconductor substrate and resolved by STM.