MOLECULAR NANOSCIENCE AT SURFACES

The design of precise supramolecular architectures at surfaces is an essential part of molecular nanoscience. In order to create useful hybrid nanostructures in the solid state, functional molecules are to be deposited on a variety of surfaces and their self-assembly carefully controlled. Furthermore, the performance of molecular devices depends on the electronic structure at the contact, which controls the processes of charge injection and extraction. Accordingly, the role of charge transfer at metal-organic interfaces, and its dependence of the molecular organization have to be understood and, if possible, controlled.

The growth, self-organization, and properties of functional molecules on various surfaces from metals and insulators to graphene are studied under UHV conditions with a combination of techniques (XPS; UPS; STM, STS, Scanning Tunneling Luminiscence and synchrotron radiation-based techniques). We investigate, at the level of single molecules, topics such as the chemical functionalization of graphene, the on-surface synthesis of nanomaterials from molecular precursors, the design of surface-confined metal-organic architectures, the in-situ fabrication and response of nano-catalysts, the investigation of tip-induced electroluminescence or the spin polarized imaging of magnetic nanostructures.

Senior co-workers: Dr. Roberto Otero, Dr. J.M. Gallego

Key publications
  • Organic Covalent Patterning of Nanostructured Graphene with Selectivity at the Atomic Level
    • Jesus Navarro, Juan; Leret, Sofia; Calleja, Fabian; et al. 
    • NANO LETTERS  Volume: 16   Issue: 1   Pages: 355-361  (2016)
  • “Molecular Self-Assembly at Solid Surfaces” 
    • J.M. Gallego, R. Otero, A.L. Vázquez de Parga, N. Martín and R. Miranda 
    • Adv. Mat. 23, 5148-5176 (2011)
  • Charge transfer induced structural rearrangement at both sides of organic/metal interfaces” 
    • T-Ch. Tseng, C. Urban, Y. Wang, J.M. Gallego, R. Otero, N. Martín, K. Kern and R. Miranda 
    • Nature Chemistry 2, 374 (2010)
  • “Self-organization of electron acceptor molecules on graphene” 
    • S. Barja, M. Garnica. J.J Hinarejos, A.L. Vázquez de Parga, N. Martín and R. Miranda
    • Chem Comm.46, 8198-8200 (2010) 
  • “Ordering fullerenes at the nanometer scale on solid surfaces” 
    • L. Sánchez, R. Otero, J.M. Gallego, R. Miranda and N. Martín 
    • Chem. Rev. 109, 2081 (2009)