Imaging the adsorption sites of organic molecules on metallic surfaces by an adaptive tunnelling current feedback.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows submolecular resolution imaging of organic molecules deposited on a surface by using CO-functionalized qPlus sensors under ultrahigh vacuum and low temperature conditions. However, the experimental determination of the adsorption sites of these organic molecules requires the precise identification of the atomic structure of the surface on which they are adsorbed. Here, we develop an automation method for AFM imaging that provides in a single image both, submolecular resolution on organic molecules and atomic resolution on the surrounding metallic surface. The method is based on an adaptive tunnelling current feedback system that is regulated according to the response of the AFM observables, which guarantees that both the molecules and the surface atoms are imaged under optimum conditions. Therewith, the approach is suitable for imaging adsorption sites of several adjacent and highly mobile molecules such as 2-iodotriphenylene on Ag(111) in a single scan. The proposed method with the adaptive feedback system facilitates statistical analysis of molecular adsorption geometries and could in the future contribute to autonomous AFM imaging as it adapts the feedback parameters depending on the sample properties.

Deciphering the Mechanism of On-Surface Dehydrogenative C-C Coupling Reactions.

On-surface synthesis has proven to be a powerful approach for fabricating various low-dimensional covalent nanostructures with atomic precision that could be challenging for conventional solution chemistry. Dehydrogenative Caryl-Caryl coupling is one of the most popular on-surface reactions, of which the mechanisms, however, have not been well understood due to the lack of microscopic insights into the intermediates that are fleetingly existing under harsh reaction conditions. Here, we bypass the most energy-demanding initiation step to generate and capture some of the intermediates at room temperature (RT) via the cyclodehydrobromination of 1-bromo-8-phenylnaphthalene on a Cu(111) surface. Bond-level scanning probe imaging and manipulation in combination with DFT calculations allow for the identification of chemisorbed radicals, cyclized intermediates, and dehydrogenated products. These intermediates correspond to three main reaction steps, namely, debromination, cyclization (radical addition), and H elimination. H elimination is the rate-determining step as evidenced by the predominant cyclized intermediates. Furthermore, we reveal a long-overlooked pathway of dehydrogenation, namely, atomic hydrogen-catalyzed H shift and elimination, based on the observation of intermediates for H shift and superhydrogenation and the proof of a self-amplifying effect of the reaction. This pathway is further corroborated by comprehensive theoretical analysis on the reaction thermodynamics and kinetics.

On-Surface Synthesis and Real-Space Visualization of Aromatic P3 N3.

On-surface synthesis is at the verge of emerging as the method of choice for the generation and visualization of unstable or unconventional molecules, which could not be obtained via traditional synthetic methods. A case in point is the on-surface synthesis of the structurally elusive cyclotriphosphazene (P3 N3 ), an inorganic aromatic analogue of benzene. Here, we report the preparation of this fleetingly existing species on Cu(111) and Au(111) surfaces at 5.2 K through molecular manipulation with unprecedented precision, i.e., voltage pulse-induced sextuple dechlorination of an ultra-small (about 6 Å) hexachlorophosphazene P3 N3 Cl6 precursor by the tip of a scanning probe microscope. Real-space atomic-level imaging of cyclotriphosphazene reveals its planar D3h -symmetric ring structure. Furthermore, this demasking strategy has been expanded to generate cyclotriphosphazene from a hexaazide precursor P3 N21 via a different stimulation method (photolysis) for complementary measurements by matrix isolation infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy.

Effect of Amorphous-Crystalline Phase Transition on Superlubric Sliding.

Structural superlubricity describes the state of greatly reduced friction between incommensurate atomically flat surfaces. Theory predicts that, in the superlubric state, the remaining friction sensitively depends on the exact structural configuration. In particular the friction of amorphous and crystalline structures for, otherwise, identical interfaces should be markedly different. Here, we measure friction of antimony nanoparticles on graphite as a function of temperature between 300 and 750 K. We observe a characteristic change of friction when passing the amorphous-crystalline phase transition above 420 K, which shows irreversibility upon cooling. The friction data is modeled with a combination of an area scaling law and a Prandtl-Tomlinson type temperature activation. We find that the characteristic scaling factor γ, which is a fingerprint of the structural state of the interface, is reduced by 20% when passing the phase transition. This validates the concept that structural superlubricity is determined by the effectiveness of atomic force canceling processes.

Nanoscale Friction across the First-Order Charge Density Wave Phase Transition of 1T-TaS2.

Nanotribology using atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be considered as a unique approach to analyze phase transition materials by localized mechanical interaction. In this work, we investigate friction on the lamellar transition metal dichalcogenide 1T-TaS2, which can undergo first-order charge density wave (CDW) phase transitions. Based on temperature-dependent atomic force microscopy under ultrahigh vacuum conditions (UHV), we can characterize the general friction levels across the first-order phase transitions and for the different phases. While structural and electronic properties for different phases appear to be of minor influence on friction, a distinct peak in friction is observed during the phase transition when cooling the sample from the nearly commensurate CDW (NC-CDW) phase to the commensurate CDW (C-CDW) phase. By performing systematic measurements as a function of load, scan velocity, and scan time, a recently proposed friction mechanism can be corroborated, where the AFM tip gradually induces local transformations of the material close to the spinodal point in a thermally activated and shear-assisted process until the surface is fully "harvested". Our results demonstrate that repeated nanomechanical stress can trigger local first-order phase transitions constituting a so far little explored mechanical energy dissipation channel.

Topological Stone-Wales Defects Enhance Bonding and Electronic Coupling at the Graphene/Metal Interface.

Defects play a critical role for the functionality and performance of materials, but the understanding of the related effects is often lacking, because the typically low concentrations of defects make them difficult to study. A prominent case is the topological defects in two-dimensional materials such as graphene. The performance of graphene-based (opto-)electronic devices depends critically on the properties of the graphene/metal interfaces at the contacting electrodes. The question of how these interface properties depend on the ubiquitous topological defects in graphene is of high practical relevance, but could not be answered so far. Here, we focus on the prototypical Stone-Wales (S-W) topological defect and combine theoretical analysis with experimental investigations of molecular model systems. We show that the embedded defects undergo enhanced bonding and electron transfer with a copper surface, compared to regular graphene. These findings are experimentally corroborated using molecular models, where azupyrene mimics the S-W defect, while its isomer pyrene represents the ideal graphene structure. Experimental interaction energies, electronic-structure analysis, and adsorption distance differences confirm the defect-controlled bonding quantitatively. Our study reveals the important role of defects for the electronic coupling at graphene/metal interfaces and suggests that topological defect engineering can be used for performance control.

Substrate-Modulated Synthesis of Metal-Organic Hybrids by Tunable Multiple Aryl-Metal Bonds.

Assembly of semiconducting organic molecules with multiple aryl-metal covalent bonds into stable one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) metal-organic frameworks represents a promising route to the integration of single-molecule electronics in terms of structural robustness and charge transport efficiency. Although various metastable organometallic frameworks have been constructed by the extensive use of single aryl-metal bonds, it remains a great challenge to embed multiple aryl-metal bonds into these structures due to inadequate knowledge of harnessing such complex bonding motifs. Here, we demonstrate the substrate-modulated synthesis of 1D and 2D metal-organic hybrids (MOHs) with the organic building blocks (perylene) interlinked solely with multiple aryl-metal bonds via the stepwise thermal dehalogenation of 3,4,9,10-tetrabromo-1,6,7,12-tetrachloroperylene and subsequent metal-organic connection on metal surfaces. More importantly, the conversion from 1D to 2D MOHs is completely impeded on Au(111) but dominant on Ag(111). We comprehensively study the distinct reaction pathways on the two surfaces by visually tracking the structural evolution of the MOHs with high-resolution scanning tunneling and noncontact atomic force microscopy, supported by first-principles density functional theory calculations. The substrate-dependent structural control of the MOHs is attributed to the variation of the M-X (M = Au, Ag; X = C, Cl) bond strength regulated by the nature of the metal species.

Chemical bond imaging using torsional and flexural higher eigenmodes of qPlus sensors.

Non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) with CO-functionalized tips allows visualization of the chemical structure of adsorbed molecules and identify individual inter- and intramolecular bonds. This technique enables in-depth studies of on-surface reactions and self-assembly processes. Herein, we analyze the suitability of qPlus sensors, which are commonly used for such studies, for the application of modern multifrequency AFM techniques. Two different qPlus sensors were tested for submolecular resolution imaging via actuating torsional and flexural higher eigenmodes and via bimodal AFM. The torsional eigenmode of one of our sensors is perfectly suited for performing lateral force microscopy (LFM) with single bond resolution. The obtained LFM images agree well with images from the literature, which were scanned with customized qPlus sensors that were specifically designed for LFM. The advantage of using a torsional eigenmode is that the same molecule can be imaged either with a vertically or laterally oscillating tip without replacing the sensor simply by actuating a different eigenmode. Submolecular resolution is also achieved by actuating the 2nd flexural eigenmode of our second sensor. In this case, we observe particular contrast features that only appear in the AFM images of the 2nd flexural eigenmode but not for the fundamental eigenmode. With complementary laser Doppler vibrometry measurements and AFM simulations we can rationalize that these contrast features are caused by a diagonal (i.e. in-phase vertical and lateral) oscillation of the AFM tip.

Experimental analysis of tip vibrations at higher eigenmodes of QPlus sensors for atomic force microscopy.

QPlus sensors are non-contact atomic force microscope probes constructed from a quartz tuning fork and a tungsten wire with an electrochemically etched tip. These probes are self-sensing and offer an atomic-scale spatial resolution. Therefore, qPlus sensors are routinely used to visualize the chemical structure of adsorbed organic molecules via the so-called bond imaging technique. This is achieved by functionalizing the AFM tip with a single CO molecule and exciting the sensor at the first vertical cantilever resonance mode. Recent work using higher-order resonance modes has also resolved the chemical structure of single organic molecules. However, in these experiments, the image contrast can differ significantly from the conventional bond imaging contrast, which was suspected to be caused by unknown vibrations of the tip. This work investigates the source of these artefacts by using a combination of mechanical simulation and laser vibrometry to characterize a range of sensors with different tip wire geometries. The results show that increased tip mass and length cause increased torsional rotation of the tuning fork beam due to the off-center mounting of the tip wire, and increased flexural vibration of the tip. These undesirable motions cause lateral deflection of the probe tip as it approaches the sample, which is rationalized to be the cause of the different image contrast. The results also provide a guide for future probe development to reduce these issues.

Constructing covalent organic nanoarchitectures molecule by molecule via scanning probe manipulation.

Constructing low-dimensional covalent assemblies with tailored size and connectivity is challenging yet often key for applications in molecular electronics where optical and electronic properties of the quantum materials are highly structure dependent. We present a versatile approach for building such structures block by block on bilayer sodium chloride (NaCl) films on Cu(111) with the tip of an atomic force microscope, while tracking the structural changes with single-bond resolution. Covalent homo-dimers in cis and trans configurations and homo-/hetero-trimers were selectively synthesized by a sequence of dehalogenation, translational manipulation and intermolecular coupling of halogenated precursors. Further demonstrations of structural build-up include complex bonding motifs, like carbon-iodine-carbon bonds and fused carbon pentagons. This work paves the way for synthesizing elusive covalent nanoarchitectures, studying structural modifications and revealing pathways of intermolecular reactions.

Characterization of Vegard strain related to exceptionally fast Cu-chemical diffusion in Cu[Formula: see text]Mo[Formula: see text]S[Formula: see text] by an advanced electrochemical strain microscopy method.

Electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) has been developed with the aim of measuring Vegard strains in mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs), such as electrode materials for Li-ion batteries, caused by local changes in the chemical composition. In this technique, a voltage-biased AFM tip is used in contact resonance mode. However, extracting quantitative strain information from ESM experiments is highly challenging due to the complexity of the signal generation process. In particular, electrostatic interactions between tip and sample contribute significantly to the measured ESM signals, and the separation of Vegard strain-induced signal contributions from electrostatically induced signal contributions is by no means a trivial task. Recently, we have published a compensation method for eliminating frequency-independent electrostatic contributions in ESM measurements. Here, we demonstrate the potential of this method for detecting Vegard strain in MIECs by choosing Cu[Formula: see text]Mo[Formula: see text]S[Formula: see text] as a model-type MIEC with an exceptionally high Cu chemical diffusion coefficient. Even for this material, Vegard strains are only measurable around and above room-temperature and with proper elimination of electrostatics. The analyis of the measured Vegards strains gives strong indication that due to a high charge transfer resistance at the tip/interface, the local Cu concentration variations are much smaller than predicted by the local Nernst equation. This suggests that charge transfer resistances have to be analyzed in more detail in future ESM studies.

Thermal Activation of Nanoscale Wear.

Nanoscale wear tracks on ionic crystals are created by reciprocating single asperity scratch tests using atomic force microscopy. The wear characteristics are analyzed by the scratch depth as a function of surface temperature from 25 to 300 K. The average wear depth shows a nonmonotonic behavior as a function of temperature, with a transition between two different regimes characterized by the occurrence of quasiperiodic ripple formation. A thermally activated bond breaking model quantitatively explains the wear data in the low temperature, nonripple regime, but fails above the temperature threshold. This discrepancy is resolved with a geometric separation of the ripple mounds from the troughs, leading to full agreement with Arrhenius kinetics over the full temperature range.

Surface-controlled reversal of the selectivity of halogen bonds.

Intermolecular halogen bonds are ideally suited for designing new molecular assemblies because of their strong directionality and the possibility of tuning the interactions by using different types of halogens or molecular moieties. Due to these unique properties of the halogen bonds, numerous areas of application have recently been identified and are still emerging. Here, we present an approach for controlling the 2D self-assembly process of organic molecules by adsorption to reactive vs. inert metal surfaces. Therewith, the order of halogen bond strengths that is known from gas phase or liquids can be reversed. Our approach relies on adjusting the molecular charge distribution, i.e., the σ-hole, by molecule-substrate interactions. The polarizability of the halogen and the reactiveness of the metal substrate are serving as control parameters. Our results establish the surface as a control knob for tuning molecular assemblies by reversing the selectivity of bonding sites, which is interesting for future applications.

Single-asperity sliding friction across the superconducting phase transition.

In sliding friction, different energy dissipation channels have been proposed, including phonon and electron systems, plastic deformation, and crack formation. However, how energy is coupled into these channels is debated, and especially, the relevance of electronic dissipation remains elusive. Here, we present friction experiments of a single-asperity sliding on a high-T c superconductor from 40 to 300 kelvin. Overall, friction decreases with temperature as generally expected for nanoscale energy dissipation. However, we also find a large peak around T c. We model these results by a superposition of phononic and electronic friction, where the electronic energy dissipation vanishes below T c. In particular, we find that the electronic friction constitutes a constant offset above T c, which vanishes below T c with a power law in agreement with Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory. While current point contact friction models usually neglect such friction contributions, our study shows that electronic and phononic friction contributions can be of equal size.

On-Surface Synthesis and Characterization of a Cycloarene: C108 Graphene Ring.

The synthesis of cycloarenes in solution is challenging because of their low solubility and the often hindered cyclodehydrogenation reaction of their nonplanar precursors. Using an alternative on-surface synthesis protocol, we achieved an unprecedented double-stranded hexagonal cycloarene containing 108 sp2 carbon atoms. Its synthesis is based on hierarchical Ullmann coupling and cyclodehydrogenation of a specially designed precursor on a Au(111) surface. The structure and other properties of the cycloarene are investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and density functional theory calculations.

Nanoribbons with Nonalternant Topology from Fusion of Polyazulene: Carbon Allotropes beyond Graphene.

Various two-dimensional (2D) carbon allotropes with nonalternant topologies, such as pentaheptites and phagraphene, have been proposed. Predictions indicate that these metastable carbon polymorphs, which contain odd-numbered rings, possess unusual (opto)electronic properties. However, none of these materials has been achieved experimentally due to synthetic challenges. In this work, by using on-surface synthesis, nanoribbons of the nonalternant graphene allotropes, phagraphene and tetra-penta-hepta(TPH)-graphene, have been obtained by dehydrogenative C-C coupling of 2,6-polyazulene chains. These chains were formed in a preceding reaction step via on-surface Ullmann coupling of 2,6-dibromoazulene. Low-temperature scanning probe microscopies with CO-functionalized tips and density functional theory calculations have been used to elucidate their structural properties. The proposed synthesis of nonalternant carbon nanoribbons from the fusion of synthetic line-defects may pave the way for large-area preparation of novel 2D carbon allotropes.

Bond-Level Imaging of the 3D Conformation of Adsorbed Organic Molecules Using Atomic Force Microscopy with Simultaneous Tunneling Feedback.

The chemical structure and orientation of molecules on surfaces can be visualized using low temperature atomic force microscopy with CO-functionalized tips. Conventionally, this is done in constant-height mode by measuring the frequency shift of the oscillating force sensor. However, this method is unsuitable for analyzing 3D objects. We are using the tunneling current to track the topography while simultaneously obtaining submolecular resolution from the frequency shift signal. Thereby, the conformation of 3D molecules and the adsorption sites on the atomic lattice can be reliably determined.

Lattice Discontinuities of 1T-TaS2 across First Order Charge Density Wave Phase Transitions.

Transition metal dichalcogenides are lamellar materials which can exhibit unique and remarkable electronic behavior due to effects of electron-electron and electron-phonon coupling. Among these materials, 1T-tantalum disulfide (1T-TaS2) has spurred considerable interest, due to its multiple first order phase transitions between different charge density wave (CDW) states. In general, the basic effects of charge density wave formation in 1T-TaS2 can be attributed to in plane re-orientation of Ta-atoms during the phase transitions. Only in recent years, an increasing number of studies has also emphasized the role of interlayer interaction and stacking order as a crucial aspect to understand the specific electronic behavior of 1T-TaS2, especially for technological systems with a finite number of layers. Obviously, continuously monitoring the out of plane expansion of the sample can provide direct inside into the rearrangement of the layer structure during the phase transition. In this letter, we therefore investigate the c-axis lattice discontinuities of 1T-TaS2 by atomic force microscopy (AFM) method under ultra-high vacuum conditions. We find that the c-axis lattice experiences a sudden contraction across the nearly-commensurate CDW (NC-CDW) phase to commensurate CDW (C-CDW) phase transition during cooling, while an expansion is found during the transition from the C-CDW phase to a triclinic CDW phase during heating. Thereby our measurements reveal, how higher order C-CDW phase can favor a more dense stacking. Additionally, our measurements also show subtler effects like e.g. two expansion peaks at the start of the transitions, which can provide further insight into the mechanisms at the onset of CDW phase transitions.

Benzo-Fused Periacenes or Double Helicenes? Different Cyclodehydrogenation Pathways on Surface and in Solution.

Controlling the regioselectivity of C-H activation in unimolecular reactions is of great significance for the rational synthesis of functional graphene nanostructures, which are called nanographenes. Here, we demonstrate that the adsorption of tetranaphthyl- p-terphenyl precursors on metal surfaces can completely change the cyclodehydrogenation route and lead to obtaining planar benzo-fused perihexacenes rather than double [7]helicenes during solution synthesis. The course of the on-surface planarization reactions is monitored using scanning probe microscopy, which unambiguously reveals the formation of dibenzoperihexacenes and the structures of reaction intermediates. The regioselective planarization can be attributed to the flattened adsorption geometries and the reduced flexibility of the precursors on the surfaces, in addition to the different mechanism of the on-surface cyclodehydrogenation from that of the solution counterpart. We have further achieved the on-surface synthesis of dibenzoperioctacene by employing a tetra-anthryl- p-terphenyl precursor. The energy gaps of the new nanographenes are measured to be approximately 2.1 eV (dibenzoperihexacene) and 1.3 eV (dibenzoperioctacene) on a Au(111) surface. Our findings shed new light on the regioselectivity in cyclodehydrogenation reactions, which will be important for exploring the synthesis of unprecedented nanographenes.

Nanoscale Characterization of Ion Mobility by Temperature-Controlled Li-Nanoparticle Growth.

Detailed understanding of electrochemical transport processes on the nanoscale is considered not only as a topic of fundamental scientific interest but also as a key to optimize material systems for application in electrochemical energy storage. A prominent example is solid-state electrolytes, where transport properties are strongly influenced by the microscopic structure of grain boundaries or interface regimes. However, direct characterization of ionic transport processes on the nanoscale remains a challenge. For a heterogeneous Li+-conducting glass ceramic, we demonstrate quantitative nanoscopic probing of electrochemical properties on the basis of temperature-controlled growth of nanoscopic Li particles with conductive tip atomic force microscopy. The characteristic energy barriers can be derived from the particle growth dynamics and are consistent with simultaneously recorded nanovoltammetry, which can be interpreted as an interplay between overpotentials, ion conductivity, and nanoscale spreading resistance. In the low-temperature limit at around 170 K, where the particle growth speed is slowed down by several orders of magnitude with respect to room temperature, we demonstrate ion-conductivity mapping with lateral resolutions only limited by the effective tip-surface contact radius. Our mapping measurements reveal the insulating character of the AlPO4 phase, whereas any influence of grain boundaries is related to subsurface constrictions of the current paths.