title: Single-molecule switching with non-contact atomic force microscopy.
abstract: We report upon controlled switching of a single 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic diimide derivative molecule on a rutile TiO(2)(110) surface using a non-contact atomic force microscope at room temperature. After submonolayer deposition, the molecules adsorb tilted on the bridging oxygen row. Individual molecules can be manipulated by the atomic force microscope tip in a well-controlled manner. The molecules are switched from one side of the row to the other using a simple approach, taking benefit of the sample tilt and the topography of the titania substrate. From density functional theory investigations we obtain the adsorption energies of different positions of the molecule. These adsorption energies are in very good agreement with our experimental observations.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany. jenschue@uos.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schütte
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bechstein
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rahe
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Langhals
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohlfing
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kühnle