STM study of azobenzene self-assembly at clean metal surfaces

ORAL

Abstract

Azobenzene derivatives form a unique class of photoactive molecules that have potential for nanoscale optical applications. We have examined the self-assembly behavior of azobenzene molecules on the Au(111) and NiAl(110) surfaces using a variable temperature UHV STM. We observe a variety of low-dimensional molecular configurations, some of which can be manipulated with the tip of the STM. These structures are highly temperature dependent and typically require cryogenic operation for stable imaging.

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Authors

  • Jongweon Cho

  • Matthew J. Comstock

  • Niv Levy

  • Armen Kirakosian

  • Michael F. Crommie

    • University of California at Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory