Molecular structure elucidation with charge-state control

Abstract

The charge state of an adsorbed molecule significantly affects its physical as well as its chemical properties, for example, adsorption position, molecular conformation and aromaticity. The proven capabilities of single-electron sensitivity [1,2] and atomic-resolution [3] of atomic force microscopy (AFM) make it an ideal tool to perform charge-state manipulation experiments while atomically resolving the induced changes within the molecule. Here, we present AFM-based results that simultaneously demonstrate both the control in charge-state and the capability of resolving the atomic structure of a single molecule for different molecules [4]. [1] L. Gross, et al. Science 324, 5933 (2009) [2] S. Fatayer, et al. Nature Nanotechnology 13, 376 (2018) [3] L. Gross, et al. Science 325, 5944 (2009) [4] S. Fatayer, et al. Science 365, 6449 (2019)