The quest for planar sp2-hybridized carbon allotropes other than graphene, such as graphenylene and biphenylene networks, has stimulated substantial research efforts because of the materials’ predicted mechanical, electronic, and transport properties. However, their syntheses remain challenging given the lack of reliable protocols for generating nonhexagonal rings during the in-plane tiling of carbon atoms. We report the bottom-up growth of an ultraflat biphenylene network with periodically arranged four-, six-, and eight-membered rings of sp2-hybridized carbon atoms through an on-surface interpolymer dehydrofluorination (HF-zipping) reaction. The characterization of this biphenylene network by scanning probe methods reveals that it is metallic rather than a dielectric. We expect the interpolymer HF-zipping method to complement the toolbox for the synthesis of other nonbenzenoid carbon allotropes.

The fabrication of atomically precise structures with designer electronic properties is one of the emerging topics in condensed matter physics. The required level of structural control can either be reached through atomic manipulation using the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) or by bottom-up chemical synthesis. In this review, we focus on recent progress in constructing novel, atomically precise artificial materials: artificial lattices built through atom manipulation and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) realized by on-surface synthesis. We summarize the required theoretical background and the latest experiments on artificial lattices, topological states in onedimensional lattices, experiments on graphene nanoribbons and graphene nanoribbon heterostructures, and topological states in graphene nanoribbons. Finally, we conclude our review with an outlook to designer quantum materials with engineered electronic structure. 1 arXiv:1905.03328v4 [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Achieving large-area uniform 2D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and controlling their electronic properties on inert surfaces is a big step toward future applications in electronic devices. Here a 2D monolayer Cu-dicyanoanthracene MOF with long-range order is successfully fabricated on an epitaxial graphene surface. Its structural and electronic properties are studied by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy complemented by density-functional theory calculations. Access to multiple molecular charge states in the 2D MOF is demonstrated using tip-induced local electric fields. It is expected that a similar strategy could be applied to fabricate and characterize 2D MOFs with exotic, engineered electronic states.

We study negative differential conductance (NDC) effects in polyporphyrin oligomers with nonlinear backbones. Using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope, we selectively controlled the charge transport path in single oligomer wires. We observed robust NDC when charge passed through a T-shape junction, bistable NDC when charge passed through a 90° kink and no NDC when charge passed through a 120° kink. Aided by density functional theory with nonequilibrium Green's functions simulations, we attributed this backbone-dependent NDC to bias-modulated hybridization of the electrode states with the resonant transport molecular orbital. We argue this mechanism is generic in molecular systems, which opens a new route of designing molecular NDC devices.

Designing metal-organic frameworks with new topologies is a long-standing quest because new topologies often accompany new properties and functions. Here we report that 1,3,5-tris[4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl]benzene molecules coordinate with Cu atoms to form a two-dimensional framework in which Cu adatoms form a nanometer-scale demi-regular lattice. The lattice is articulated by perfectly arranged twofold and threefold pyridyl-Cu coordination motifs in a ratio of 1 : 6 and features local dodecagonal symmetry. This structure is thermodynamically robust and emerges solely when the molecular density is at a critical value. In comparison, we present three framework structures that consist of semi-regular and regular lattices of Cu atoms self-assembled out of 1,3,5-tris[4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl]benzene and trispyridylbenzene molecules. Thus a family of regular, semi-regular and demi-regular lattices can be achieved by Cu-pyridyl coordination.

Structural and mechanical properties of selfassembled metal-free naphthalocyanine (H 2 Nc) films on a Ag(111) surface are studied. Six self-assembled domains are observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Combining the high-resolution STM images and density functional theory (DFT) based calculations, we found that molecules adsorbed flatly on the substrate by forming six different interlocked square-like unit cells with different lattice parameters. DFT calculations indicated comparable adsorption energies for all the configurations. Six domains with different lattice parameters present different strain states, giving us a possibility to evaluate the Young's modulus of the metal-free naphthalocyanine films on the Ag(111) surface. We found that the Young's modulus of H 2 Nc is comparable to those of typical conjugated organic-molecule-based crystals (e.g., naphthalene), providing useful information for future applications when the elastic properties should be concerned.

On-surface metal-organic coordination provides a promising way for synthesizing different two-dimensional lattice structures that have been predicted to possess exotic electronic properties. Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS), we studied the supramolecular self-assembly of 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA) molecules on the Au(111) surface. Close-packed islands of DCA molecules and Au-DCA metal-organic coordination structures coexist on the Au(111) surface. Ordered DCA 3 Au 2 metal-organic networks have a structure combining a honeycomb lattice of Au atoms with a kagome lattice of DCA molecules. Low-temperature STS experiments demonstrate the presence of a delocalized electronic state containing contributions from both the gold atom states and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the DCA molecules. These findings are important for the future search of topological phases in metal-organic networks combining honeycomb and kagome lattices with strong spin-orbit coupling in heavy metal atoms.It is well-known that the exciting electronic properties of graphene are intimately linked to its honeycomb lattice with a two-atom unit cell. [1] This results in the formation of Dirac cones in the band structure and the linear dispersion around the K points (at the corners of the Brillouin zone). This is a generic property of any honeycomb lattice and has sparked interest in "artificial graphene": engineered systems that have the same structure. [2][3][4][5][6] There are other lattice geometries that have the potential to host exotic electronic phases. For example, the kagome lattice has the same Dirac band structure as the honeycomb lattice, but with an additional flat band [7] pinned to the top (or bottom) of the Dirac band. Furthermore, these systems can be driven into topological phases by adding spinorbit coupling. This opens gaps at the band crossings (the Dirac points) which host topological states in finite structures. [8][9][10] Metal-organic structures have been synthesized on surfaces following the concepts of supramolecular coordination chemistry. [11,12] Their architectures depend on the chemistry of the metal centres with organic linkers and on their interactions with the surface. [13] Over the past two decades, metal-organic networks with various lattice structures have been fabricated using different combinations of metal atoms and organic molecules. In addition to fabricating e. g. simple square geometry, metal-organic networks with honeycomb and kagome lattices have been formed. [14] These hold promise for hosting exotic band structures, especially when combined with heavy metal atoms. In fact, there are several recent predictions based on ab initio modelling suggesting that honeycomb and kagome metal-organic networks could host exotic quantum phases, for example, topological insulators. [15][16][17][18][19] However, most of the metal-organic networks that have been obtained are using 3d transition metals, with only a few reports on heavy metals which can provide strong spin-orbit ...

The combination of two-dimensional (2D) materials into vertical heterostructures has emerged as a promising path to designer quantum materials with exotic properties. Here, we extend this concept from inorganic 2D materials to 2D metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) that offer additional flexibility in realizing designer heterostructures. We successfully fabricate a monolayer 2D Cu-dicyano­anthracene MOF on a 2D van der Waals NbSe2 superconducting substrate. The structural and electronic properties of two different phases of the 2D MOF are characterized by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS), complemented by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. These experiments allow us to follow the formation of the kagome band structure from Star of David-shaped building blocks. This work extends the synthesis and electronic tunability of 2D MOFs beyond the electronically less relevant metal and semiconducting surfaces to superconducting substrates, which are needed for the development of emerging quantum materials such as topological superconductors.