Manipulating localized molecular orbitals by single-atom contacts

We have fabricated atom-molecule contacts by attachment of single Cu atoms to terpyridine side groups of bis-terpyridine tetra-phenyl ethylene molecules on a Cu(111) surface. By means of scanning tunneling microscopy, spectroscopy, and density functional calculations, we have found that, due to the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2010-09, Vol.105 (12), p.126801-126801, Article 126801
Main Authors: Wang, Weihua, Shi, Xingqiang, Lin, Chensheng, Zhang, Rui Qin, Minot, Christian, Van Hove, Michel A, Hong, Yuning, Tang, Ben Zhong, Lin, Nian
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We have fabricated atom-molecule contacts by attachment of single Cu atoms to terpyridine side groups of bis-terpyridine tetra-phenyl ethylene molecules on a Cu(111) surface. By means of scanning tunneling microscopy, spectroscopy, and density functional calculations, we have found that, due to the localization characteristics of molecular orbitals, the Cu-atom contact modifies the state localized at the terpyridine side group which is in contact with the Cu atom but does not affect the states localized at other parts of the molecule. These results illustrate the contact effects at individual orbitals and offer possibilities to manipulate orbital alignments within molecules.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.126801