Using Controlled Manipulation of Molecules to Trace Potential Energy Surfaces of Absorbed Molecules

Speaker: 
Chao Zhou
Seminar Date: 
Friday, February 7, 2020 - 12:30pm
Location: 
Yale Quantum Institute See map
17 Hillhouse Av, 4th floor
New Haven, CT

With the continued development of scanning probe microscopy techniques, the manipulation of single molecules has become possible. Thereby, the manipulation path can be chosen at will and energy barriers can be quantified, as can the energy landscape around the molecule. Such quantitative information reveals the chemical interaction of molecules with their surroundings. Towards this end, we conducted controlled manipulation experiments of molecules. As a model system, we selected benzene molecules on a Cu (100) surface. The molecules were either pushed, pulled, jumped to the tip, or did not move depending on the chemical surrounding of the molecule and the chemical identity of the tip. For further insight, we compared measured energy landscapes and manipulation outcomes with computational results obtained using a structure search protocol.

Host: 
Corey O'Hern