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Tip-Induced Structural Transitions in a Buckybowl Molecular Assembly
Quan Yang1, Zhiwen Zhu1, Juan Xiang1
1Materials Genome Institute, Shanghai University, 200444Shanghai, China.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|August 6, 2026
Summary
Researchers used scanning tunneling microscopy to control molecular shape changes in sumanene buckybowls on gold surfaces. They observed distinct outcomes like bowl inversion and rotation, revealing insights into surface-confined molecular dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Surface Science
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Conformational switching of curved molecules on surfaces is complex.
- Substrate coupling and intermolecular forces are key factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate tip-induced structural transitions of sumanene buckybowls on Au(111).
- Understand the mechanisms behind conformational switching in confined molecular architectures.
Main Methods:
- Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM).
- Tip-induced excitation (bias and proximity) on individual sumanene molecules.
- Comparative studies on different substrates (Au(111), Ag(111)) and molecules (corannulene).
Main Results:
- Triggered distinct conformational switches: bowl inversion (locked) and molecular rotation (metastable).
- Observed characteristic tunneling current jumps corresponding to each outcome.
- Identified substrate reconstruction (Au(111) herringbone) as crucial for enabling transformations.
Conclusions:
- Provided mechanistic understanding of tip-induced conformational dynamics in surface-confined sumanene.
- Highlighted the interplay of molecular curvature, steric confinement, and substrate properties in dictating molecular behavior.
- Demonstrated controlled manipulation of molecular conformations on surfaces.
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