Adsorption, manipulation and self-assembling of TBrPP-Co molecules on a Ag/Si(111) surface by scanning tunnelling microscopy

Nanotechnology. 2008 Nov 19;19(46):465707. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/19/46/465707. Epub 2008 Oct 22.

Abstract

Individual adsorption and two-dimensional assembling of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-bromophenyl)-porphyrin-Co (TBrPP-Co) molecules on a Si(111)-[Formula: see text] Ag reconstructed surface have been studied using low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). All the isolated molecules are observed in a planar shape with slight distortion. The isolated molecules can be controllably rotated with an STM tip to the orientation along the trigonal lattice ([Formula: see text] direction) of the substrate. With an increased coverage (0.07 ML) and appropriate annealing, the molecules assemble to form three types of ordered phase. The long-range ordered structures, however, disappear at higher coverage (0.75 ML).