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Dehiwala Liyanage C, Ortiz-Garcia JJ, Struckmeier A, McCoy CL, Kienzler MA, Quardokus RC. A Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study of the Photoisomerization of Diazocine. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:4082-4087. [PMID: 38587451 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Azobenzenes are fascinating molecular machines that can reversibly transform between two isomeric forms by an external stimulus. Diazocine, a type of bridged azobenzene, has been shown to possess enhanced photoexcitation properties. Due to the distortion caused by the ethyl bridge in the E-isomer, the Z-form becomes the thermodynamically stable configuration. Despite a comprehensive understanding of its photophysical properties, there is still much to learn about the behavior of diazocine on a metal surface. Here we show the operando photoswitching of diazocine molecules deposited directly on a Au(111) surface using scanning tunneling microscopy. Molecules were shown to aggregate into disordered islands with edge sites being susceptible to photon-induced movement. A few molecules were shown to undergo directional movement under UV irradiation with the motion reversed under blue light exposure. These findings contribute new insight into the activity of single and ensemble molecular systems toward purposefully guided motion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José J Ortiz-Garcia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Annalena Struckmeier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Christian L McCoy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Michael A Kienzler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Rebecca C Quardokus
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
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Soe WH, Durand C, Guillermet O, Gauthier S, de Rouville HPJ, Srivastava S, Kammerer C, Rapenne G, Joachim C. Surface manipulation of a curved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-based nano-vehicle molecule equipped with triptycene wheels. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 29:495401. [PMID: 30207539 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aae0d9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
With a central curved chassis, a four-wheeled molecule-vehicle was deposited on a Au(111) surface and imaged at low temperature using a scanning tunneling microscope. The curved conformation of the chassis and the consequent moderate interactions of the four wheels with the surface were observed. The dI/dV constant current maps of the tunneling electronic resonances close to the Au(111) Fermi level were recorded to identify the potential energy entry port on the molecular skeleton to trigger and control the driving of the molecule. A lateral pushing mode of molecular manipulation and the consequent recording of the manipulation signals confirm how the wheels can step-by-step rotate while passing over the Au(111) surface native herringbone reconstructions. Switching a phenyl holding a wheel to the chassis was not observed for triggering a lateral molecular motion inelastically and without any mechanic push by the tip apex. This points out the necessity to encode the sequence of the required wheels action on the profile of the potential energy surface of the excited states to be able to drive a molecule-vehicle.
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Affiliation(s)
- W-H Soe
- CEMES, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, 29 Rue J. Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex, France. International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
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Hinaut A, Pawlak R, Meyer E, Glatzel T. Electrospray deposition of organic molecules on bulk insulator surfaces. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 6:1927-34. [PMID: 26665062 PMCID: PMC4660929 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.6.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Large organic molecules are of important interest for organic-based devices such as hybrid photovoltaics or molecular electronics. Knowing their adsorption geometries and electronic structures allows to design and predict macroscopic device properties. Fundamental investigations in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) are thus mandatory to analyze and engineer processes in this prospects. With increasing size, complexity or chemical reactivity, depositing molecules by thermal evaporation becomes challenging. A recent way to deposit molecules in clean conditions is Electrospray Ionization (ESI). ESI keeps the possibility to work with large molecules, to introduce them in vacuum, and to deposit them on a large variety of surfaces. Here, ESI has been successfully applied to deposit triply fused porphyrin molecules on an insulating KBr(001) surface in UHV environment. Different deposition coverages have been obtained and characterization of the surface by in-situ atomic force microscopy working in the non-contact mode shows details of the molecular structures adsorbed on the surface. We show that UHV-ESI, can be performed on insulating surfaces in the sub-monolayer regime and to single molecules which opens the possibility to study a variety of complex molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Hinaut
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rémy Pawlak
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ernst Meyer
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thilo Glatzel
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Bodin A, Laloo R, Abeilhou P, Guiraud L, Gauthier S, Martrou D. An energy-filtering device coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer for soft-landing molecular ions on surfaces with controlled energy. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2013; 84:095104. [PMID: 24089863 DOI: 10.1063/1.4818961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
We have developed an energy-filtering device coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer to deposit ionized molecules on surfaces with controlled energy in ultra high vacuum environment. Extensive numerical simulations as well as direct measurements show that the ion beam flying out of a quadrupole exhibits a high-energy tail decreasing slowly up to several hundred eV. This energy distribution renders impossible any direct soft-landing deposition of molecular ions. To remove this high-energy tail by energy filtering, a 127° electrostatic sector and a specific triplet lenses were designed and added after the last quadrupole of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The results obtained with this energy-filtering device show clearly the elimination of the high-energy tail. The ion beam that impinges on the sample surface satisfies now the soft-landing criterion for molecular ions, opening new research opportunities in the numerous scientific domains involving charges adsorbed on insulating surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bodin
- Nanosciences Group, CEMES, CNRS UPR 8011 and University Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, BP94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
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Mielke J, Selvanathan S, Peters M, Schwarz J, Hecht S, Grill L. Molecules with multiple switching units on a Au(111) surface: self-organization and single-molecule manipulation. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2012; 24:394013. [PMID: 22964491 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/24/39/394013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Three different molecules, each containing two azobenzene switching units, were synthesized, successfully deposited onto a Au(111) surface by sublimation and studied by scanning tunneling microscopy at low temperatures. To investigate the influence of electronic coupling between the switching units as well as to the surface, the two azo moieties were connected either via π-conjugated para-phenylene or decoupling meta-phenylene bridges, and the number of tert-butyl groups was varied in the meta-phenylene-linked derivatives. Single molecules were found to be intact after deposition as identified by their characteristic appearance in STM images. Due to their mobility on the Au(111) surface at room temperature, the molecules spontaneously formed self-organized molecular arrangements that reflected their chemical structure. While lateral displacement of the molecules was accomplished by manipulation, trans-cis isomerization processes, typical for azobenzene switches, could not be induced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Mielke
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
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Hamann C, Woltmann R, Hong IP, Hauptmann N, Karan S, Berndt R. Ultrahigh vacuum deposition of organic molecules by electrospray ionization. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2011; 82:033903. [PMID: 21456759 DOI: 10.1063/1.3553010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
An electrospray apparatus for deposition of organic molecules on surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum is presented. The kinetic energy at the impact and mass to charge ratio of deposited ions can be controlled by an electrostatic quadrupole deflector and an in-line quadrupole mass spectrometer. With an ion funnel in the first two vacuum stages a high ion transmission is achieved. Experiments on porphyrin cations and deoxyribonucleic acid deposited on a Au(111) surface demonstrate the capabilities of the instrument.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chr Hamann
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
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Grill L. Large molecules on surfaces: deposition and intramolecular STM manipulation by directional forces. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2010; 22:084023. [PMID: 21389399 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/22/8/084023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Intramolecular manipulation of single molecules on a surface with a scanning tunnelling microscope enables the controlled modification of their structure and, consequently, their physical and chemical properties. This review presents examples of intramolecular manipulation experiments with rather large molecules, driven by directional, i.e. chemical or electrostatic, forces between tip and molecule. It is shown how various regimes of forces can be explored and characterized with one and the same manipulation of a single molecule by changing the tip-surface distance. Furthermore, different deposition techniques under ultrahigh vacuum conditions are discussed because the increasing functionality of such molecules can lead to fragmentation during the heating step, making their clean deposition difficult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonhard Grill
- Physics Department, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin, Germany. Fritz-Haber-Institut of the Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Bombis C, Ample F, Lafferentz L, Yu H, Hecht S, Joachim C, Grill L. Single Molecular Wires Connecting Metallic and Insulating Surface Areas. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2009; 48:9966-70. [PMID: 19950152 DOI: 10.1002/anie.200904645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Bombis
- Experimental Physics Department, Freie Universität Berlin and Fritz-Haber-Institut of the Max-Planck-Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Bombis C, Ample F, Lafferentz L, Yu H, Hecht S, Joachim C, Grill L. Einzelne molekulare Drähte verbinden metallische und isolierende Oberflächenbereiche. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2009. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.200904645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Lafferentz L, Ample F, Yu H, Hecht S, Joachim C, Grill L. Conductance of a single conjugated polymer as a continuous function of its length. Science 2009; 323:1193-7. [PMID: 19251624 DOI: 10.1126/science.1168255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 328] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The development of electronic devices at the single-molecule scale requires detailed understanding of charge transport through individual molecular wires. To characterize the electrical conductance, it is necessary to vary the length of a single molecular wire, contacted to two electrodes, in a controlled way. Such studies usually determine the conductance of a certain molecular species with one specific length. We measure the conductance and mechanical characteristics of a single polyfluorene wire by pulling it up from a Au(111) surface with the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope, thus continuously changing its length up to more than 20 nanometers. The conductance curves show not only an exponential decay but also characteristic oscillations as one molecular unit after another is detached from the surface during stretching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leif Lafferentz
- Physics Department, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Grill L, Dyer M, Lafferentz L, Persson M, Peters MV, Hecht S. Nano-architectures by covalent assembly of molecular building blocks. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2007; 2:687-91. [PMID: 18654406 DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2007.346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 857] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2007] [Accepted: 09/28/2007] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The construction of electronic devices from single molecular building blocks, which possess certain functions such as switching or rectifying and are connected by atomic-scale wires on a supporting surface, is an essential goal of molecular electronics. A key challenge is the controlled assembly of molecules into desired architectures by strong, that is, covalent, intermolecular connections, enabling efficient electron transport between the molecules and providing high stability. However, no molecular networks on surfaces 'locked' by covalent interactions have been reported so far. Here, we show that such covalently bound molecular nanostructures can be formed on a gold surface upon thermal activation of porphyrin building blocks and their subsequent chemical reaction at predefined connection points. We demonstrate that the topology of these nanostructures can be precisely engineered by controlling the chemical structure of the building blocks. Our results represent a versatile route for future bottom-up construction of sophisticated electronic circuits and devices, based on individual functionalized molecules.
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