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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik
O 5: Scanning Probe Microscopy: Light-Matter Interactions at the Atomic Scale I
O 5.3: Vortrag
Montag, 17. März 2025, 11:00–11:15, H6
Motion of molecular motors on ultra-thin NaCl islands on Cu(111) — •Monika Schied1,2, Grant J. Simpson1, Ken Kolar1, Dongdong Liu3, James M. Tour3, and Leonhard Grill1 — 1University of Graz, Austria — 2CNR-IOM, Italy — 3Rice University, USA
Molecular motors are designed to overcome nature’s random motion by converting external energy into controlled, uni-directional rotation. Studying them on a solid surface can be advantageous, as it offers confinement in two dimensions, making it easier to observe the directionality of their motion. In previous studies on metallic surfaces, indeed uni-directional rotation has been observed [1]. However, the activation of the motor functionality is likely suppressed due to the hybridisation of the molecular orbitals with the electron bath of the metal. In order to preserve the inherent electronic structure of the free molecule, we studied Feringa-type motors adsorbed on ultra-thin NaCl layers on Cu(111), which electronically decouples them from the metal substrate, while still permitting measurements with the low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope (LT-STM). We excited the molecules with UV light, which – in contrast to voltage pulses – acts remotely without altering the local potential energy landscape with the STM tip. In this way, we could induce the motion of individual molecules.
[1] M. Schied et.al., ACS Nano 2023, 17, 4, 3958-3965
Keywords: Molecular motors; Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy; Light-induced motion