Incommensurate superstructure in heavily doped fullerene layer on Bi/Si(111) surface

J Chem Phys. 2015 Aug 21;143(7):074707. doi: 10.1063/1.4928866.

Abstract

Cs adsorption onto the C60-covered Si(111)-β-√3×√3-Bi reconstruction has been studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy. Unexpected increase in apparent size of every second C60 molecule has been detected, hereupon the close packed molecular array almost doubles its periodicity. The change affects only the fullerenes that are in direct contact with the metal-induced reconstruction and takes no place already in the second layer. Photoelectron studies have revealed that this incommensurate "2 × 2" superstructure of a heavily doped C60 monolayer remains in an insulating state regardless of doping level.