Tailoring the ferromagnetic surface potential landscape by a templating two-dimensional metal-organic porous network

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how a two-dimensional metal-organic porous network can be used to modify the surface potential landscape of a ferromagnetic cobalt film, enabling control over electronic and spin properties.

Contribution

It introduces a protocol to create a large-scale Co-T4PT porous network on a ferromagnetic surface to tailor its potential landscape and influence molecular interactions.

Findings

Successful formation of a Co-T4PT porous network on Co/Au(111) surface

The network acts as a template to steer C60 molecule deposition

Potential for tailoring electronic and spin properties of surfaces

Abstract

Two-dimensional metal-organic porous networks (2D-MOPNs) have been identified as versatile nanoarchitectures to tailor surface electronic and magnetic properties on noble metals. In this context, we propose a protocol to redecorate a ferromagnetic surface potential landscape using a 2D-MOPN. Ultrathin cobalt (Co) films grown on Au(111) exhibit a well-ordered surface triangular reconstruction. On the ferromagnetic surface, the adsorbed 2,4,6-tris(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5triazine (T4PT) molecules can coordinate with the native Co atoms to form a large-scale Co-T4PT porous network. The Co-T4PT network with periodic nanocavities serves as a templating layer to reshape the ferromagnetic surface potential. The subsequently deposited C60 molecules are steered by the network porous potential and the neighboring C60 interactions. The prototype of the ferromagnetic-supported 2D-MOPN is a promising template for the tailoring of molecular electronic and spin properties.