Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of low pentacene coverage on the Ag/Si(111)-( 3 × 3) surface

Abstract

The low coverage S1 phase of pentacene deposited on Ag/Si(111)-() has been investigated at room temperature by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS). Current–voltage data were acquired simultaneously with STM images for this phase. The normalized conductivity reveals two pronounced peaks at −1.10 and +2.25 V relative to the Fermi level. These peaks are attributed to resonant tunnelling through the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital molecular levels of the pentacene layer. The electronic properties of this interface are discussed in relation to results obtained for pentacene adsorbed on other metallic surfaces.