Regensburg 2013 – scientific programme
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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik
O 78: Surface Dynamics I
O 78.11: Talk
Thursday, March 14, 2013, 18:30–18:45, H42
Turning on and off the rotational oscillation of a single porphine molecule by molecular charge state — •Shichao Yan1, 2, Zijing Ding1, Nan Xie1, Huiqi Gong1, Yang Guo1, Xinyan Shan1, Sheng Meng1, and Xinghua Lu1 — 1Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed-Matter Physics and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China — 2Max Planck Research Group-Dynamics of Nanoelectronic Systems, Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Hamburg
The rotation dynamics of single magnesium porphine (MgP) molecules on ultrathin NaCl bilayer is investigated with low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It is observed that the rotational oscillation between two stable orientations can be turned on and off by the molecular charge state, which can be manipulated with the tunneling electrons. The features of the charge states and the mechanism of molecular rotational on/off state control are revealed at the atomic scale. The dependence of molecular orientation switching rate on the tunneling electron energy and the current density illustrates the underlying resonant tunneling excitation and single electron process. The drive and control of molecular motion with tunneling electrons demonstrated in this study suggests a novel approach towards electronically controlled molecular rotors and motors.