Spectroscopic Imaging of Molecular Functions at Surfaces
The focus of this project is on understanding the nature of intramolecular chemical bonds and intermolecular interactions using a unique technique developed in 2014 under DOE support: the inelastic tunneling probe (itProbe) with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). By operating the STM at ~0.6 K, high energy resolution of ~0.6 meV is achieved, in combination with the inherent atomic scale spatial resolution of the STM. High energy and spatial resolutions of inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) with the STM enables itProbe to monitor energy shifts in the carbon monoxide (CO) hindered translational vibration as the CO-tip is scanned over an adsorbed molecule. Images are obtained that relate to the two-dimensional slices of the potential energy surface for different heights above the substrate, rendering a tomography of the molecule. Comparison of experimental results to density functional theory (DFT) calculations relates itProbe images to the potential energy surface of the CO-tip probing the potential of the adsorbed molecule. Results from this project provide information on the electronic, vibrational, and structural properties of single molecules, as well as how these properties relate to the reactivity, chemical sensing, self-assembly, and other chemical interactions of higher complexity. This research leads to new insights into the fundamental principles of chemistry that can be applied to the understanding of a broad range of phenomena, such as surface chemistry and catalysis, environmental processes and energy generation, electronic processing and electron transport through molecules as in molecular electronics.
- Research Organization:
- Univ of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-04ER15595
- OSTI ID:
- 1485203
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-UCI-ER15595; 9498243492
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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