title: Cooperative light-induced molecular movements of highly ordered azobenzene self-assembled monolayers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grave
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elbing
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Hänisch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zharnikov
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mayor
authors.forename: Maria Anita
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rampi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Samorì
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D001391:Azo Compounds; D010984:Platinum; D006046:Gold; C009850:azobenzene; C011934:mica