Cooperative light-induced molecular movements of highly ordered azobenzene self-assembled monolayers.
Photochromic systems can convert light energy into mechanical energy, thus they can be used as building blocks for the fabrication of prototypes of molecular devices that are based on the photomechanical effect. Hitherto a controlled photochromic switch on surfaces has been achieved either on isolated chromophores or within assemblies of randomly arranged molecules. Here we show by scanning tunneling microscopy imaging the photochemical switching of a new terminally thiolated azobiphenyl rigid rod molecule. Interestingly, the switching of entire molecular 2D crystalline domains is observed, which is ruled by the interactions between nearest neighbors. This observation of azobenzene-based systems displaying collective switching might be of interest for applications in high-density data storage.
Pace
Giuseppina
G
Unité Mixte de Recherche 7006, Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, 8 Allée Gaspard Monge, F-67083 Strasbourg, France.
Ferri
Violetta
V
Grave
Christian
C
Elbing
Mark
M
von Hänisch
Carsten
C
Zharnikov
Michael
M
Mayor
Marcel
M
Rampi
Maria Anita
MA
Samorì
Paolo
P
D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013499:Surface Properties
D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D001391:Azo Compounds; D010984:Platinum; D006046:Gold; C009850:azobenzene; C011934:mica