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Hybrid molecular nanostructures with donor-acceptor chains

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Abstract

We have fabricated hybrid molecular chain structures formed by electron acceptor compound 1 and electron donor molecules 2 and 3 at the liquid/solid interface of graphite surface. The structural details of the mono-component and the binary assemblies are revealed by high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Compound 1 can form two well-ordered lamellar patterns at different concentrations. In the co-adsorption structures, compounds 2 and 3 can insert into the space between molecular chains of compound 1 and form large area well-ordered nanoscale phase separated lamellar structures. The unit cell parameters for the coassemblies can be “flexibly” adjusted to make the electron donors and acceptors perfectly match along the molecular chains. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) results indicate that the electronic properties of individual molecular donors and acceptors are preserved in the binary self-assembly. These results provide molecular insight into the nanoscale phase separation of organic electron acceptors and donors on surfaces and are helpful for the fabrication of surface supramolecular structures and molecular devices.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100190, China

    Liu Yang, CuiZhong Guan, Wan Yue, JingYi Wu, HuiJuan Yan, Xu Zhang, ZhaoHui Wang, XiaoWei Zhan, YuLiang Li, Dong Wang & LiJun Wan

  2. Graduate University of CAS, Beijing, 100049, China

    Liu Yang, CuiZhong Guan & Wan Yue

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  1. Liu Yang
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  2. CuiZhong Guan
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  3. Wan Yue
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  4. JingYi Wu
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  5. HuiJuan Yan
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  6. Xu Zhang
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  7. ZhaoHui Wang
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  8. XiaoWei Zhan
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  9. YuLiang Li
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  10. Dong Wang
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  11. LiJun Wan
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Correspondence to Dong Wang or LiJun Wan.

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Yang, L., Guan, C., Yue, W. et al. Hybrid molecular nanostructures with donor-acceptor chains. Sci. China Chem. 56, 124–130 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-012-4666-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-012-4666-y

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