Protruding hydrogen atoms as markers for the molecular orientation of a metallocene

• Linda Laflör,
• Michael Reichling and
• Philipp Rahe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1432–1438, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.127

• molecular orientation on the surface. The experimental observation of the dumbbell shape suggests that the prerequisite of a stable tip during repulsive interactions with the hydrogen atoms can easily be fulfilled, even at room temperature. This is in line with previous findings of stable tips for sub

• -molecular resolution imaging at 77 K [37][38] and 300 K [39]. Due to the predominant repulsive interactions with the chemically rather inert hydrogen atoms, we speculate that the chemical identity of the tip is therefore of secondary importance. Still, the tip has to be sharp enough to allow for resolving

Polymorphic self-assembly of pyrazine-based tectons at the solution–solid interface

• Achintya Jana,
• Puneet Mishra and
• Neeladri Das

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 494–499, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.50

• leading to the formation of molecular arrays. In region II, the molecular arrangement exhibits carpet-like striations. The angle between the two length-wise orientations of the molecules in region II is measured to be approximately 70°. As depicted in the STM images with sub-molecular resolution (Figure

• theoretical simulations [24][25][26]. For this purpose, our experimental results with sub-molecular resolution can provide valuable inputs for future theoretical calculations on related molecule–substrate systems. Another possible reason for the observed polymorphism could be attributed to a competition

• the solution–solid interface. (a) Large-scale STM image; Vs = 1.4 V, It = 1 nA. (b) STM image showing two polymorphs separated by a domain boundary indicated by a solid white line. Vs = 0.8 V, It = 400 pA. (c, d) STM images with sub-molecular resolution depicting the molecular packing in the two

Anchoring of a dye precursor on NiO(001) studied by non-contact atomic force microscopy

• Sara Freund,
• Antoine Hinaut,
• Nathalie Marinakis,
• Edwin C. Constable,
• Ernst Meyer,
• Catherine E. Housecroft and
• Thilo Glatzel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 242–249, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.26

• (II) oxide (NiO); non-contact atomic force microscopy; p-type semiconductor; sub-molecular resolution; Introduction Inorganic substrates functionalized with organic molecules are nowadays highly regarded materials for emerging hybrid technologies including molecular electronics, photocatalysts or

• fundamental studies including those at the molecular or sub-molecular scale [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. In contrast, the synthesis and characterization of p-type wide band gap metal oxide materials and especially the fabrication and analysis of p-type DSSCs with a photoactive cathode, are less commonly

Adsorption of iron tetraphenylporphyrin on (111) surfaces of coinage metals: a density functional theory study

• Hao Tang,
• Nathalie Tarrat,
• Véronique Langlais and
• Yongfeng Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2484–2491, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.248

• adopts a deckchair form (C2h). These conformations have been identified in sub-molecular resolution STM images on a Au(111) surface as shown in the work of N. Lin et al. [16] for the saddle conformation (twofold symmetry) and in the work of Gopakumar et al. [11] for the planar conformation (fourfold

Noise in NC-AFM measurements with significant tip–sample interaction

• Jannis Lübbe,
• Matthias Temmen,
• Philipp Rahe and
• Michael Reichling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1885–1904, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.181

• science tool, especially when it comes to studying non-conducting surfaces [3][4], to map sub-molecular structures [5] or to measure forces [6] and force fields [7] with highest resolution. The primary imaging signal in NC-AFM is the frequency shift Δf of a probe resonator carrying a tip interacting with

Modelling of ‘sub-atomic’ contrast resulting from back-bonding on Si(111)-7×7

• Adam Sweetman,
• Samuel P. Jarvis and
• Mohammad A. Rashid

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 937–945, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.85

• detailed explanation for ‘sub-atomic’ contrast observed on Si(111)-7×7 using a simple model based on Lennard-Jones potentials, coupled with a flexible tip, as proposed by Hapala et al. [Phys. Rev. B 2014, 90, 085421] in the context of interpreting sub-molecular contrast. Our results show a striking

• similarity to experimental results, and demonstrate how ‘sub-atomic’ contrast can arise from a flexible tip exploring an asymmetric potential created due to the positioning of the surrounding surface atoms. Keywords: NC-AFM; qPlus; sub-atomic; sub-molecular; Introduction Recent developments in low

• obtained during imaging of planar organic molecules [3][4]. An important development in the interpretation of sub-molecular resolution imaging has been the explicit consideration of deflection (i.e., mechanical deformation) in the tip–sample junction [5][6][7], which can result in contrast enhancement [6

Uncertainties in forces extracted from non-contact atomic force microscopy measurements by fitting of long-range background forces

• Adam Sweetman and
• Andrew Stannard

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 386–393, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.45

• the molecule is imaged at a low setpoint to reduce the chance of perturbing the tip state, and consequently no sub-molecular resolution is obtained. After obtaining the image, single point Δf(z) spectra were taken on the silicon adatoms, the cornerholes, on top of the molecule, and ‘off’ the molecule

Unlocking higher harmonics in atomic force microscopy with gentle interactions

• Sergio Santos,
• Victor Barcons,
• Josep Font and
• Albert Verdaguer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 268–277, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.29

• tip–sample system and imply that higher harmonics can be translated into conservative and dissipative [7] nanoscale and atomic properties [8]. Furthermore, conventional dynamic AFM can already reach molecular [9][10], sub-molecular [11] and atomic [12][13] resolution in some systems. Thus, the

Intermolecular vs molecule–substrate interactions: A combined STM and theoretical study of supramolecular phases on graphene/Ru(0001)

• Michael Roos,
• Benedikt Uhl,
• Daniela Künzel,
• Harry E. Hoster,
• Axel Groß and
• R. Jürgen Behm

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 365–373, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.42

• '-BTP adlayer on graphene/Ru(0001), with sub-molecular resolution. We can clearly identify the molecules and the hexagonally arranged hills of the graphene adlayer (see marked triangle). The molecules are exclusively adsorbed in the valleys of the graphene film, while the hills remain unoccupied. This

• molecule (Figure 5a–c). These voids indicate that the graphene/Ru(0001) substrate also exhibits a significant corrugation in the adsorption potential for PTCDA, although this is less pronounced, relative to intermolecular interactions, than for 3,3'-BTP. Figure 5c shows a sub-molecular resolution image of

• PTCDA on graphene/Ru(0001). Comparison with the model of a single PTCDA molecule in Figure 2c reveals the same sub-molecular structural details within the molecule. Similar structural results have recently been reported for the adsorption of PTCDA on SiC(0001) where the PTCDA film is grown over the

Oriented growth of porphyrin-based molecular wires on ionic crystals analysed by nc-AFM

• Thilo Glatzel,
• Lars Zimmerli,
• Shigeki Kawai,
• Ernst Meyer,
• Leslie-Anne Fendt and
• Francois Diederich

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 34–39, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.4

• layers. (b) and (c) 30 × 30 nm2 zoom in of the free standing molecular assembly on a single KBr layer. Clear sub-molecular resolution as well as atomic resolution is observed. After decreasing the set-point, parts of the assembly are removed and the atomic corrugation below becomes visible. Chemical

Tip-sample interactions on graphite studied using the wavelet transform

• Giovanna Malegori and
• Gabriele Ferrini

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2010, 1, 172–181, doi:10.3762/bjnano.1.21

• of the cantilever may show a modification of the oscillation amplitude, frequency, phase or damping. The measurement of these cantilever parameters allows to gain information on the physical properties of the sample with (sub-)molecular resolution [4][5]. The dynamic behavior of a weakly interacting