Dimerization boosts one-dimensional mobility of conformationally adapted porphyrins on a hexagonal surface atomic lattice.
We employed temperature-controlled fast-scanning tunneling microscopy to monitor the diffusion of tetrapyridylporphyrin molecules on the Cu(111) surface. The data reveal unidirectional thermal migration of conformationally adapted monomers in the 300-360 K temperature range. Surprisingly equally oriented molecules spontaneously form dimers that feature a drastically increased one-dimensional diffusivity. The analysis of the bonding and mobility characteristics indicates that this boost is driven by a collective transport mechanism of a metallosupramolecular complex.
Eichberger
M
M
Department of Physics, AMPEL, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Marschall
M
M
Reichert
J
J
Weber-Bargioni
A
A
Auwärter
W
W
Wang
R L C
RL
Kreuzer
H J
HJ
Pennec
Y
Y
Schiffrin
A
A
Barth
J V
JV