Influence of external stimuli on the nano-ordered rows and honeycombs in mercaptomethyloligothiophene monolayers on Au (111)

Nano-ordered structures, i.e. one-dimensional molecular rows and two-dimensional honeycombs consisting of mercaptomethylthiophene derivatives were observed on Au (111) by scanning tunneling microscopy at room temperature. It was suggested that mercaptomethylthienyl group plays a key role for the formation of the specific structures. When the samples were immersed in ethanol solution of transition metal chlorides, the nanostructures remained intact although the deposition of nanoclusters was observed in some cases. The effect of applying electric field on the nanostructures in the ethanol solution was also investigated.