The initiation and characterization of single bimolecular reactions with a scanning tunneling microscope.
A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operating at 9 K in ultrahigh vacuum was used to initiate a bimolecular reaction between isolated hydrogen sulfide and dicarbon molecules on the Cu(001) surface. The reaction products ethynyl (CCH) and sulfhydryl (SH) were identified by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (STM-IETS) and by sequentially removing hydrogen atoms from an H2S molecule using energetic tunneling electrons. For comparison, the thermal diffusion and reaction of H2S and CC at 45 K and H2O and CC at 9 K were also observed.
Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics and Cornell Center for Materials Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
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Lauhon
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