This work describes an innovative concept for the development of organized molecular systems thanks to the template effect of the pre-structured semi-conductive SmSi(111) interface. This substrate was selected because Sm deposition in the submonolayer range leads to a 8x2-reconstruction, which is a well-defined one-dimensional semi-metallic structure. Adsorption of aromatic molecules (1,4-di-(9-ethynyltriptycenyl)-benzene) on SmSi(111)-8x2 and Si(111)-7x7 interfaces has been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at room temperature. Density functional theory (DFT) and semi-empirical (ASED+) calculations have been performed to define the nature of the molecular adsorption sites of the target molecule on SmSi as well as their self-alignment on this interface. Experimental data and theoretical results are in good agreement.
@article{arxiv.0805.3281,
title = {Room temperature electronic template effect of pre-structured SmSi(111)-8x2 interface yielding self-aligned organic molecules},
author = {Younes Makoudi and Eric Duverger and Madjid Arab and Frederic Cherioux and Franscisco Ample and Gwenael Rapenne and Xavier Bouju and Frank Palmino},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0805.3281},
year = {2008}
}