Cross-step place-exchange of oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) molecules

Nano Lett. 2005 Nov;5(11):2292-7. doi: 10.1021/nl051717t.

Abstract

We have observed nitro-functionalized oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) molecules exhibiting motion up and down Au{111} substrate monatomic step edges within host self-assembled monolayers of n-alkanethiols, independent of previously observed conductance switching. Single molecules have been imaged with scanning tunneling microscopy to place-exchange reversibly between the top and bottom of monatomic substrate step edges.