Inducing the controlled rotation of single o-MeO-DMBI molecules anchored on Au(111)

•Adsorption of single o-MeO-DMBI molecules on Au(111). The molecule is chemiadsorbed via the methoxy-group, resulting in a new robust molecular rotor.•By lateral manipulation with the STM tip, the molecule can be rotated around its anchor point.•Driven by tunneling electrons, the o-MeO-DMBI molecule...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Surface science 2018-12, Vol.678, p.177-182
Main Authors: Eisenhut, Frank, Meyer, Jörg, Krüger, Justus, Ohmann, Robin, Cuniberti, Gianaurelio, Moresco, Francesca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adsorption
Electrons
Gold
Manipulation
Molecular rotor
Organic chemistry
Rotation
Scanning tunneling microscopy
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)
Voltage pulses
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Summary:•Adsorption of single o-MeO-DMBI molecules on Au(111). The molecule is chemiadsorbed via the methoxy-group, resulting in a new robust molecular rotor.•By lateral manipulation with the STM tip, the molecule can be rotated around its anchor point.•Driven by tunneling electrons, the o-MeO-DMBI molecules can be rotated step by step either clockwise or counterclockwise in a controlled manner. A key step towards building single molecule machines is to control the rotation of molecules and nanostructures step by step on a surface. Here, we used the tunneling electrons coming from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope to achieve the controlled directed rotation of complex o-MeO-DMBI molecules. We studied the adsorption of single o-MeO-DMBI molecules on Au(111) by scanning tunneling microscopy at low temperature. The enantiomeric form of the molecule on the surface can be determined by imaging the molecule by STM at high bias voltage. We observed by lateral manipulation experiments that the molecules chemisorb on the surface and are anchored on Au(111) with an oxygen-gold bond via their methoxy‑group. Driven by inelastic tunneling electrons, o-MeO-DMBI molecules can controllably rotate, stepwise and unidirectional, either clockwise or counterclockwise depending on their enantiomeric form. [Display omitted]
ISSN:0039-6028
1879-2758
DOI:10.1016/j.susc.2018.05.003