Manipulation of Kondo Effect via Two-Dimensional Molecular Self-Assembly

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how the Kondo effect in a two-dimensional molecular assembly on a copper surface can be precisely manipulated using a scanning tunneling microscope, revealing how molecular arrangement influences spin-electron interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a method to control the Kondo resonance in molecular assemblies by manipulating molecular neighbors, advancing understanding of spin-electron coupling at the nanoscale.

Findings

Kondo temperature increases from 105 K to 170 K as neighboring molecules decrease.

Edge molecules scatter surface electrons, affecting internal molecule coupling.

Kondo resonance is independent of molecular lattice arrangement.

Abstract

We report manipulation of a Kondo resonance originated from the spin-electron interactions between a two-dimensional molecular assembly of TBrPP-Co molecules and a Cu(111) surface at 4.6 K using a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope. By manipulating nearest-neighbor molecules with a scanning tunneling microscope tip we are able to tune the spin-electron coupling of the center molecule inside a small hexagonal molecular assembly in a controlled step-by-step manner. The Kondo temperature increases from 105 to 170 K with a decreasing the number of nearest neighbor molecules from six to zero. This Kondo temperature variation is originated from the scattering of surface electrons by the molecules located at the edges of the molecular layer, which reduces spin-electron coupling strength for the molecules inside the layer. Investigations on different molecular arrangements indicate that the observed Kondo resonance is independent on the molecular lattice.