Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111)
Abstract A detailed understanding of the interaction between molecules and 2D materials is crucial to implement molecular films into next‐generation 2D material‐organic hybrid devices effectively. In this regard, energy level alignment and charge transfer processes are particularly relevant. This wo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley-VCH
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Advanced Physics Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/apxr.202300029 |
| _version_ | 1797744271566045184 |
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| author | Max Bommert Gino Günzburger Roland Widmer Bruno Schuler Oliver Gröning |
| author_facet | Max Bommert Gino Günzburger Roland Widmer Bruno Schuler Oliver Gröning |
| author_sort | Max Bommert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A detailed understanding of the interaction between molecules and 2D materials is crucial to implement molecular films into next‐generation 2D material‐organic hybrid devices effectively. In this regard, energy level alignment and charge transfer processes are particularly relevant. This work investigates the interplay between a hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) monolayer on an Rh(111) single crystal and self‐assembled C60 thin films. The influence of the corrugated topography and electrostatic surface potential originating from the h‐BN/Rh(111) Moiré superstructure on the electronic level alignment and charging characteristics of C60 is being studied. A combination of scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and a theoretical tight‐binding approach is used to gain insight into the C60 bandstructure formation and electronic decoupling of specific C60. This decoupling results from adsorption site‐dependent variations of the molecular energy level alignment, which controls the strength of intermolecular hybridization. The decoupling of specific C60 enables the direct observation of single‐electron charging processes via STS and Kelvin probe force microscopy. The charging of the C60 is enabled by combining two gating mechanisms: the electrostatic surface potential of the monolayer h‐BN/Rh(111) Moiré and the electric field of the STM tip. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:07:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-76aa1504246e415085cd4aa3c7cb9934 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2751-1200 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:07:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley-VCH |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advanced Physics Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-76aa1504246e415085cd4aa3c7cb99342023-08-12T05:30:19ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Physics Research2751-12002023-08-0128n/an/a10.1002/apxr.202300029Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111)Max Bommert0Gino Günzburger1Roland Widmer2Bruno Schuler3Oliver Gröning4Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology Nanotech@Surfaces Laboratory Dübendorf 8600 SwitzerlandEmpa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology Nanotech@Surfaces Laboratory Dübendorf 8600 SwitzerlandEmpa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology Nanotech@Surfaces Laboratory Dübendorf 8600 SwitzerlandEmpa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology Nanotech@Surfaces Laboratory Dübendorf 8600 SwitzerlandEmpa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology Nanotech@Surfaces Laboratory Dübendorf 8600 SwitzerlandAbstract A detailed understanding of the interaction between molecules and 2D materials is crucial to implement molecular films into next‐generation 2D material‐organic hybrid devices effectively. In this regard, energy level alignment and charge transfer processes are particularly relevant. This work investigates the interplay between a hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) monolayer on an Rh(111) single crystal and self‐assembled C60 thin films. The influence of the corrugated topography and electrostatic surface potential originating from the h‐BN/Rh(111) Moiré superstructure on the electronic level alignment and charging characteristics of C60 is being studied. A combination of scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and a theoretical tight‐binding approach is used to gain insight into the C60 bandstructure formation and electronic decoupling of specific C60. This decoupling results from adsorption site‐dependent variations of the molecular energy level alignment, which controls the strength of intermolecular hybridization. The decoupling of specific C60 enables the direct observation of single‐electron charging processes via STS and Kelvin probe force microscopy. The charging of the C60 is enabled by combining two gating mechanisms: the electrostatic surface potential of the monolayer h‐BN/Rh(111) Moiré and the electric field of the STM tip.https://doi.org/10.1002/apxr.2023000292D materialsfullerenesintermolecular interactionsnon‐contact atomic force microscopyorganic hybrid electronicsscanning tunneling microscopy |
| spellingShingle | Max Bommert Gino Günzburger Roland Widmer Bruno Schuler Oliver Gröning Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111) Advanced Physics Research 2D materials fullerenes intermolecular interactions non‐contact atomic force microscopy organic hybrid electronics scanning tunneling microscopy |
| title | Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111) |
| title_full | Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111) |
| title_fullStr | Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111) |
| title_short | Electronic Decoupling and Single‐Molecule Charging of C60 on h‐BN/Rh(111) |
| title_sort | electronic decoupling and single molecule charging of c60 on h bn rh 111 |
| topic | 2D materials fullerenes intermolecular interactions non‐contact atomic force microscopy organic hybrid electronics scanning tunneling microscopy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/apxr.202300029 |
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