Electrochemical Annealing and Friction Anisotropy of Domains in Epitaxial Molecular Films

Electrochemical annealing of domain boundary defects in an epitaxial monolayer whose structure mimics the (001) layers of the organic superconductor Beta-bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene trioxide, (ET)2I3, has been visualized in situ using real-time atomic force microscopy. These defects are ob...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Last, Julie A, Ward, Michael D
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ANISOTROPY
ANNEALING
Atomic and Molecular Physics and Spectroscopy
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
BIS(ETHYLENEDITHIO)TETRATHIAFULVALENE
BOUNDARIES
CONTACT MODE
Crystallography
CRYSTALS
CYCLES
DEFECTS(MATERIALS)
DENSITY
DEPOSITION
DOMAINS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
EPITAXIAL GROWTH
ETHYLENEDITHIO
FRICTION
FULVALENE
LATERAL FORCE IMAGING
LAYERS
MOLECULES
MONOMOLECULAR FILMS
Organic Chemistry
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION REDUCTION REACTIONS
OXIDES
Physical Chemistry
RIGIDITY
SUBSTRATES
SUPERCONDUCTORS
THIAFULVALENE
TRIOXIDES
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Summary:Electrochemical annealing of domain boundary defects in an epitaxial monolayer whose structure mimics the (001) layers of the organic superconductor Beta-bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene trioxide, (ET)2I3, has been visualized in situ using real-time atomic force microscopy. These defects are observed readily by lateral force imaging and high resolution contact mode imaging reveals that the domains are oriented at angles of +/-n6O because of epitaxy with the HOPG substrate. The frictional contrast between domains is due to the anisotropy molecular field encountered by the tip and is a direct consequence of the crystalline order of the rigid monolayer. Potential cycling about the deposition potential resulted in a reduction in the number of domains, with the smaller domains eventually adopting the orientation of surrounding larger ones, ultimately forming large (>15 micrometer(s) squared) defect free monolayers. This demonstrates that the defect density of redox-active molecular films can be reduced by relatively simple means.