21 Davey Lab
Penn State UniversityContacts:
Paul S. Weiss:
stm@psu.eduZach Donhauser:
zjd101@psu.edu
Personal Web PageAmanda Moore:
amm420@psu.edu
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STMC is a home-built scanning tunneling microscope which has
allowed for modifications including microwave coupling, lock-in
capabilities, temperature control and nitrogen purge. Currently
images are acquired in ambient conditions. Recent work from this
instrument has focused on characterizing molecules inserted into
self-assembled monolayers.
STM is a useful tool for the characterization of single
molecules inserted into alkane thiol self-assembled monolayer
(SAM) films on Au(111) substrates due to the molecular resolution
capabilities of the microscopes in our labs. Molecules used for
insertions into SAMs are obtained from the labs of James M. Tour and are
synthesized for purposes of molecular electronics. Insertion is
performed via solution phase self-assembly into a pre-existing
SAM. After insertion the SAM matrix can be modified through
backfilling with neat alkane thiol solutions by vapor annealing.
Switching events of inserted molecules have been imaged by our
microscopes for molecules with varied conformations and
functionalities and the events have shown reversibility. Work is
in progress to better understand the process of the observed
switching events.
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Molecules can
inserted into substrate defects |
Proposed insertion
of a thiol terminated, nitro-functionalized |
