Self-decoupled tetrapodal perylene molecules for luminescence studies of isolated emitters on Au(111)

TL;DR

This study reports the design, synthesis, and luminescence characterization of self-decoupled tetrapodal perylene molecules on Au(111), demonstrating their potential as isolated emitters for nanolight sources and plasmonic devices.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel tetrapodal perylene molecule design that is well decoupled from gold surfaces, enabling molecule-specific luminescence on Au(111).

Findings

Molecules exhibit well-decoupled photoluminescence from gold substrate.

Single-molecule emissions observed with tip-induced luminescence.

Significant vertical transition dipole component detected.

Abstract

Self-decoupled tetrapodal perylene molecules were designed, synthesized, and deposited on the Au(111) surface through the electrosprayionization technique. Photoluminescence and lifetime measurements show that the chromophore groups of the designed molecules are welldecoupled from the gold substrate. Preliminary scanning tunneling microscopy induced luminescence measurements indicate theobservation of molecule-specific emissions from isolated single tetrapodal perylene molecules adsorbed directly on Au(111). The emergenceof significant emission when the tip is positioned at the molecular center suggests that there is a considerable vertical component of the transitiondipole of the designed molecule along the tip axial direction. Our results may open up a route for the realization of nanolight sourcesand plasmonic devices based on organic molecules.