title: Reducing the molecule-substrate coupling in C60-based nanostructures by molecular interactions.
abstract: Codeposition of C60 and the three-dimensional molecular hydrocarbon 1,3,5,7-tetraphenyladamantane (TPA) on Au(111) leads to the spontaneous formation of molecular nanostructures in which each fullerene is locked into a specific orientation by three surrounding TPA. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy shows that the electronic coupling of C60 with the surface is significantly reduced in these nanostructures, enhancing the free-molecule properties. As evidenced by density functional theory simulations, the nanostructures are stabilized by 18 local electrostatic forces between C60 and TPA, resulting in a lifting of the C60 cage from the surface.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Experimentalphysik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, Berlin, Germany. franke@physik.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Henningsen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernández-Torrente
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zarwell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rück-Braun
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cobian
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lorente