Scanning Probe Microscopic Investigation of Epitaxially Grown C₆₀ Film on MoS₂

Abstract

C 60 thin films have been fabricated on MoS 2 surface by the molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) and their monolayer coverages on this substrate have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). STM study indicates that the C 60 molecules pack either in a square lattice with lattice parameter of 11±1 Å or a hexagonal close packed structure with lattice parameter of 10±1 Å. The AFM images show column like structures similar to the square lattice pattern of STM images. Both STM and AFM techniques have been used to make a comparative study of C 60 film grown on MoS 2 . The substrate lattice has also been imaged together with C 60 molecular contours by STM in order to determine the epitaxial nature of the film.