Abstract
The adsorption of a molecular electron donor on Au(111) is characterized by the spontaneous formation of a superlattice of monomers spaced several nanometers apart. The coverage-dependent molecular pair distributions obtained from scanning tunneling microscopy data reveal an intermolecular long-range repulsive potential, which decreases as the inverse of the molecular separation. Density functional theory calculations show a charge accumulation in the molecules due to electron donation into the metal. Our results suggest that electrostatic repulsion between molecules persists on the surface of a metal. © 2007 The American Physical Society.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 176103 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 99 |
Issue number | 17 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 25 Oct 2007 |