We report here the reversibility and bistability of the switching behavior in an azobenzene derivative induced by the bias applied by a Scanning-Tunneling Microscopy (STM) tip, at low temperature and in ultra-high vacuum environment. This cis-to-trans and trans-to-cis switching were observed during STM imaging in either polarity at +2V or -2V, on a sub-second time scale. This results in a blinking effect visible on STM images, corresponding to the reversible switching of the azobenzene molecule under the applied STM bias through an electric field induced process.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2501.03822,
title = {Electroisomerization blinking of an azobenzene derivative molecule},
author = {Sylvie Godey and Hugo Therssen and David Guérin and Thierry Melin and Stéphane Lenfant},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2501.03822},
year = {2025}
}