Molceular Assembly of Rubrene on a Metal/Metal Oxide Nanotemplate (Result of the month 04/2008)
We investigated the adsorption properties and self-assembly of rubrene molecules on the copper oxide
nanotemplate formed by high-temperature exposure of Cu(110) to molecular oxygen. Using high-resolution
scanning tunneling microscopy under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions, we observed a complex variety of selfassembled motifs, driven by competing effects such as the chemical affinity between the organic molecule
and the surface, surface coverage, and spatial confinement of the rubrene molecules within the rows of the
template
Rubrene adsorption on Cu(110).
15 nm x 15 nm STM images of (a) structure A . It = 0.3 nA, Vt = -1.9V.
Rubrene adsorption on Cu(110). 15nm x 15 nm STM images of (b) structure A.
It = 0.34 nA, Vt = -0.53V.
(a) Molecular structure of rubrene and (b) 3-dimensional rendering of rubrene in the gas phase as calculated with density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G(d)).
Data Courtesy of:
Fabio Cicoira(1), Jill A. Miwa(1), Dmitrii F. Perepichka(2), and Federico Rosei (1)