Observation of Individual Molecules Trapped on a Nanostructured Insulator

Abstract

For the first time, ordered polar molecules confined in monolayer-deep rectangular pits produced on an alkali halide surface by electron irradiation have been resolved at room temperature by non-contact atomic force microscopy. Molecules self-assemble in a specific fashion inside pits of width smaller than 15 nm. By contrast no ordered aggregates of molecules are observed on flat terraces. Conclusions regarding nucleation and ordering mechanisms are drawn. Trapping in pits as small as 2 nm opens a route to address single molecules.

Measuring Electric Field Induced Subpicometer Displacement of Step Edge Ions

“…Because of their high band gap, ionic crystal surfaces have recently attracted a lot of attention as a template for molecular electronic devices [4,5]. They have the advantage of electronically decoupling nanoobjects from the support [6,7] while offering the ability to tailor their properties [8][9][10]. The cleaved bulk surfaces often exhibit large and atomically flat terraces bounded by monoatomic step edges.…”

Morphology Change of C60 Islands on Organic Crystals Observed by Atomic Force Microscopy

“…[12][13][14] However, fundamental studies of organic-organic interfaces are still scarce despite of their great interest for molecular electronic applications. 15 Transition-metal dicarboxylate complexes enable the formation of two-dimensional anionic layers and are potential candidates as supramolecular building blocks to design organic layered structures.…”

Dynamics of the defect-mediated desorption of alkali halide surfaces

“…More recently, such desorption processes have been applied for controlled nanostructuring of wide band gap insulators with the aim of fabricating templates for depositing metal and/or molecular structures fully decoupled electronically from the supporting substrate [6]. In fact, alkali halides nanostructured by electrons have already been used as templates for metal clusters, as well as complex molecule deposition and immobilization [7][8][9]. Such structures could be applied in molecular electronics.…”