COLL 166 |
| Roberto Otero1, Federico Rosei2, Peter Thostrup3, and Flemming Besenbacher3. (1) iNANO and Physics Dept, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade bldg. 520, 8000 C Aarhus, Denmark, (2) INRS-EMT, Univ. of Quebec, 1650 Boul Lionel Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X 1S2, Canada, (3) Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, CAMP and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, Aarhus, DK-8000, Denmark |
| Large organic molecules have recently attracted interest from a fundamental point of view and for prospective applications in nanoelectronics, since they are the basic building blocks for molecular electronics devices [1]. Here we report the design from first principles and the demonstration of a nanoscale molecular mold. In particular, we describe the adsorption of C104H108 (Violet Lander (VL)) on a Cu(110) surface in the temperature range 100–300 K. Molecules from the Lander family have a central polyaromatic molecular “wire”, terminated by a fluoranthene group, and four Tbp substituents that act as spacer legs. We previously observed [2] that in the case of the Single Lander (SL) molecule, the molecule’s shape, together with its strong interaction with the Cu substrate, enables it to act as an atomic scale template. The VL was then designed similarly to the SL, but with a longer molecular board (2.5 nm vs 1.7 nm). As described in the following, the molding action induced by the VL is related to the one induced by the SL in the same way as the board of the VL relates to the board of the SL [3]. This demonstrates that surface reconstructions can be controlled by appropriately designing molecular structure. These results point to the exploitation of such phenomena for surface engineering at the nanometer scale with applications ranging from molecular electronics to asymmetric catalysis. [1] F. Rosei et al., Prog. Surf. Sci. 71, 95 (2003). [2] F. Rosei et al., Science 296, 328 (2002). [3] R. Otero et al., Nanoletters in press (2003). |
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Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
2:00 PM-5:15 PM, Monday, March 29, 2004 Marriott -- Grand Ballroom J, Oral
Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry |