Abstract
The effect of the concurrent action of intermolecular and molecule-substrate interactions on the two-dimensional (2D) self-assembly of organic molecules on solid surfaces is investigated in a combined experimental and theoretical effort. Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements of terephthalic acid on the Cu(111) surface, a model system where the interplay between the two interactions is particularly evident, are used to develop a general, simple, and computationally inexpensive model that quantitatively accounts for the experimental observations. The model, related to the well-known Frenkel-Kontorova model, offers a comprehensive description of the "subtle interplay" between intermolecular and molecule-substrate interactions and provides a qualitative and quantitative predictive capability in the design and fabrication of 2D molecular nanostructures at surfaces.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 17954-17962 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Physical Chemistry C |
| Volume | 122 |
| Issue number | 31 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 9 Aug 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Jennifer McLeod is thanked for insightful comments on this work. G.C. acknowledges financial support from the EU through the ERC Starting Grant “VISUAL-MS” (308115) and from EPSRC through grant EP/G043647/1. A.T. acknowledges financial support by ERC (Grant No. 615834) and EPSRC (EP/N021754/1). Part of the equipment used in this research was obtained through Birmingham Science City: “Innovative Uses for Advanced Materials in the Modern World” with support from Advantage West Midlands and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 American Chemical Society.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- General Energy
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films