Nitrous oxide as an effective AFM tip functionalization: a comparative study

Abstract

We investigate the possibility of functionalizing Au tips by N2O molecules deposited on a Au(111) surface and their further use for imaging with submolecular resolution. First, we characterize the adsorption of the N2O species on Au(111) by means of atomic force microscopy with CO-functionalized tips and density functional theory (DFT) simulations. Subsequently we devise a method of attaching a single N2O to a metal tip apex and benchmark its high-resolution imaging and spectroscopic capabilities using FePc molecules. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of high-resolution imaging. However, we find an inherent asymmetry of the N2O probe-particle adsorption on the tip apex, in contrast to a CO tip reference. These findings are consistent with DFT calculations of the N2O- and CO tip apexes.

A Single-Molecule Chemical Reaction Studied by High-Resolution Atomic Force Microscopy and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Induced Light Emission

“…However, the outermost phenylene groups appear distinctly brighter compared to the central part. In the center, a bright, cross-shaped feature is visible in the AFM images, a similar contrast as has also been observed on other metal phthalocyanines such as FePc. , To quantify the non-planar adsorption geometries of the molecules, we performed force–distance spectroscopy [Δ f ( z )], yielding the tip height z *, i.e. , the tip height at which the minimum Δ f ( z ) is reached, with the tip placed above the center of the macrocycle ( z c * ) and a phenylene group ( z p * ), respectively.…”

Atomic Fingerprinting of Heteroatoms Using Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy

“…We use the relaxed structure (on Cu(111)) as in previous work. [31] Figure 4a shows an experimental nc-AFM image [32] generated with a CO tip. As the dashed circles indicate, there are 2 types N atoms in the FePc molecule: 1) peripheral (blue) and 2) internal (yellow).…”

“…[11] Copyright 2019 American Chemical Society. [32] Copyright 2019 Chutora et al; licensee Beilstein-Institut.…”

“…b,c) Simulated AFM images with Cu tip, RGB scale. (b) Tip height = 3.18 Å, (c) tip height = 2.54 Å. a) is adapted with permission [32]. Copyright 2019 Chutora et al; licensee Beilstein-Institut.…”

Machine learning at the (sub)atomic scale: next generation scanning probe microscopy

“…Correcting for each of these is, however, often a matter of exploiting the tacit knowledge and expertise of seasoned 'SPM-ers' , with each research group often having its own recipes for scanning, tip preparation/recovery, and atomic manipulation that have been transferred from scientist to scientist over a period of time. Although these strategies are occasionally outlined in the literature, with some groups going so far as to provide detailed reports of the efficacy of different tip preparation and functionalisation protocols [11][12][13][14], it is still very much the case that a great deal of probe microscopy relies on rather subjective criteria, Figure 1. Scanning probe microscopy in a nutshell.…”