title: Mechanisms of reversible conformational transitions in a single molecule.
abstract: The reversible interconversion between two nonplanar conformations of single Zn(II) Etioporphyrin I molecules adsorbed on a NiAl(110) surface at 13 K was induced by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The threshold voltage for the conformational change at negative sample bias depends linearly on the tip-sample distance, suggesting an electrostatic force mechanism. The reverse conversion involves inelastic electron tunneling via a molecular electronic resonance at 1.25 eV. In contrast with the photon-induced conformational changes, an electrically induced mechanism is realized with the STM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA.
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Nazin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ho