Oligoethylene-bridged diferrocene on Ag(110): Monolayer structures and adsorbate-induced faceting
- Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Muenster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Strasse 10, 48149 Muenster (Germany) and Center for Nanotechnology (CeNTech), Universitaet Muenster, Heisenbergstrasse 11, 48149 Muenster (Germany)
- Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Muenster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Strasse 10, 48149 Muenster, Germany and Center for Nanotechnology (CeNTech), Universitaet Muenster, Heisenbergstrasse 11, 48149 Muenster (Germany)
- Organisch-Chemisches Institut, Universitaet Muenster, Corrensstrasse 40, 48149 Muenster (Germany)
The self-assembly of a ferrocene (Fc) derivative, oligoethylene-bridged diferrocene (diFc), Fc(CH{sub 2}){sub 14}Fc, on Ag(110) surface has been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) under ultrahigh vacuum. Three ordered structures, the majority {beta} and the minorities {alpha} and {gamma}, are formed at monolayer coverage. In {alpha} and {gamma}, a unit cell contains one molecule and the molecules are parallel to each other so that the distances between Fc groups and between oligoethylene chains are reduced. A unit cell contains five molecules in {beta}: four of them are parallel to each other but not parallel to the fifth. The interaction between diFc and Ag(110), which is relatively strong in comparison to the intermolecular interaction, is dominant for the assembly of the ordered structures. The adsorption of diFc molecules induces the reorganization of substrate steps, which prefer to follow the directions of the superstructure lattice vectors, i.e. ({+-}1,2) and ({+-}3,2) of the Ag(110) surface. The (12 13-1) facet is formed due to step bunching at regions with high step density. By using in situ STM, the process of step reorganization and faceting has been observed in real time. It is concluded that the Ag adatoms play a key role on the substrate reorganization.
- OSTI ID:
- 21052793
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 76, Issue 20; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.76.205428; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1098-0121
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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