Nanoscale Templating of One-Dimensional Surface Molecular Structures

Scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to demonstrate the formation of self-assembled one-dimensional rows of C₆₀ on Au/Ni(110), which is of interest in relation to molecular wire growth. This made use of the [001] direction chain structures formed at Au coverages greater than 0.4 monolayers to act as adsorption templates, the interchain separation being dictated by the coverage. C₆₀ molecules adsorb on the Au chain structures forming single molecular rows aligned along the direction of the Au chains. The separation of C₆₀ molecules along [001] is approximately 10 {}, the same as the bulk intermolecular spacing.