Molecular diffusion and self-assembly: Quantifying the influence of substrate hcp and fcc atomic stacking
Publication Date
October 14, 2022
Description
Molecular diffusion is a fundamental process underpinning surface-confined molecular self-assembly and synthesis. Substrate topography influences molecular assembly, alignment, and reactions; with the relationship between topography and diffusion linked to the thermodynamic evolution of such processes. Here, we observe preferential adsorption sites for tetraphenylporphyrin (2H-TPP) on Au(111) and interpret nucleation and growth of molecular islands at these sites in terms of spatial variation in diffusion barrier; driven by local atomic arrangements of the Au(111) surface (the 22 X sqrt{3} `herringbone' reconstruction). Variable-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy facilitates characterisation of molecular diffusion, and Arrhenius analysis allows quantitative characterisation of diffusion barriers within fcc and hcp regions of the surface reconstruction (where the in-plane arrangement of the surface atoms is identical, but the vertical stacking differs). The higher barrier for diffusion within fcc locations underpins the ubiquitous observation of preferential island growth within fcc regions, demonstrating the relationship between substrate-structure, diffusion, and molecular self-assembly.
Associate publ. DOI
Subjects
Subjects (JACS)
Subjects (LC)
Divisions
University of Nottingham, UK Campus::Faculty of Science::School of Physics and Astronomy
Data type
Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) images
Funders
Funders
Royal Society
Grant Number
Royal Society University Research Fellowship
Data collection method
Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM)
Resource languages
English
Publisher
The University of Nottingham
Date Issued
October 14, 2022
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
Data for repository.zip
Size
3.69 GB
Format
Unknown
Checksum (MD5)
fba2d5ccfb908411fe3d573d8656a242