Growth Dynamics and Electron Reflectivity in Ultrathin Films of Chiral Heptahelicene on Metal (100) Surfaces Studied by Spin‐Polarized Low Energy Electron Microscopy

Interaction of electrons with chiral matter gives rise to interesting phenomena such as the chirality‐induced spin selectivity. The interdependence of reflectivity of spin‐polarized low energy electrons and the absolute handedness of chiral molecules is investigated. First, the growth of homochiral...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physica Status Solidi B. Basic Solid State Physics 2021-12, Vol.258 (12), p.n/a
Main Authors: Baljozović, Miloš, Fernandes Cauduro, André L., Seibel, Johannes, Mairena, Anaïs, Grass, Stéphane, Lacour, Jérôme, Schmid, Andreas K., Ernst, Karl-Heinz
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
chirality
helicenes
low energy electron microscopy
MATERIALS SCIENCE
spin selectivity
spin-polarized electrons
SPLEEM
STM
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Summary:Interaction of electrons with chiral matter gives rise to interesting phenomena such as the chirality‐induced spin selectivity. The interdependence of reflectivity of spin‐polarized low energy electrons and the absolute handedness of chiral molecules is investigated. First, the growth of homochiral films of helical aromatic hydrocarbons, so‐called helicenes, on a Cu(100) surface is studied by means of low energy electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy in ultrahigh vacuum. As soon as the coverage exceeds one monolayer, double‐layer nucleation and growth is favored such that depletion in the first layer occurs. Spatially resolved work function measurements show that second‐layer patches have a lower work function than first‐layer areas. Reflectivity spectra of spin‐polarized electrons do not show any asymmetry between homochiral films of the enantiomers. Laterally resolved work function measurements do not confirm work function differences such as those reported earlier for photoelectron studies of chiral peptide films on ferromagnetic substrates. Growth dynamics and potential spin asymmetries of chiral helical aromatic molecules, so‐called helicenes, are studied on a copper(100) surface. Preference for double‐layer nucleation above a critical coverage is observed on copper, but neither spin dependent effects are revealed in electron reflectivity on either substrates nor in work function maps on a magnetic nickel substrate.
ISSN:0370-1972
1521-3951
DOI:10.1002/pssb.202100263