Nanostructuring Cu Surfaces Using Custom-Designed Molecular Molds

Abstract

By means of STM imaging and manipulation, we show that violet Lander (VL) molecules (C108H104) act as nanoscale templates at the Cu(110) step edges, creating nanostructures to which the VLs are anchored. These nanostructures are longer and sometimes wider than those created by the related single Lander (SL) molecules due to the slightly different shape and size of the VL molecules. These results illustrate the possibility of controlling the formation of nanostructures on a surface on the atomic scale by means of a rational molecular design.