Highly Ordered Single Domain Peri-Tetracene Monolayers on Ag(110)

TL;DR

Researchers created highly ordered single-layer molecules of peri-tetracene on a silver surface using advanced imaging and theoretical methods.

Contribution

The study demonstrates the formation of large-area, highly ordered peri-tetracene monolayers on Ag(110) with specific molecular alignment.

Findings

Peri-tetracene monolayers formed on Ag(110) span large areas and step edges.

Molecules align preferentially along the [11̅0] direction on Ag(110).

Charge transfer from the substrate fills the LUMO of peri-tetracene.

Abstract

The on-surface reaction of 1,1’-bitetracene (Bi4A)
to peri-tetracene (tetrabenzo[bc,ef,kl,no]coronene)
(4-PA)
on Cu(110) and Ag(110) is studied by photoemission, scanning tunneling
microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Density
functional theory (DFT) computations suggest that the Ag(110) substrate
is well suited for the formation of large-area 4-PA monolayers with
a preferential adsorption alignment of 4-PA molecules along the [11̅0]
direction. The experiments confirm the formation of 4-PA and presence
of large highly ordered 4-PA domains. Two distinct phases emerge,
growing seamlessly over large areas and even spanning step edges.
Evidence for charge transfer from the substrate to the molecule was
found, resulting in a filling of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital
(LUMO) of 4-PA.

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