Using Quantum States of Molecules as Probes

ORAL

Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) are powerful, versatile tools for characterizing and manipulating atoms and molecules on surfaces, but it is difficult to distinguish the contributions of different interactions. STM-IETS probes the local density of states of the system between the surface and the tip and can excite quantum states of a molecule in the tunneling junction. By attaching single molecules to the apex of the STM tip, we show that certain excitations of the molecule on the tip are sensitive to distinct aspects of the local environment on the surface and by monitoring the response of these excitations as we vary the position of the tip over the surface, we can identify the nature of the contribution. We show that single molecule probes that have different kinds of quantum states can serve as tools for probing an array of different physical properties beyond the capabilities of conventional STM can achieve.

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Presenters

  • Peter Wagner

    University of California, Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of California - Irvine

Authors

  • Peter Wagner

    University of California, Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of California - Irvine

  • Gregory Czap

    University of California, Irvine, Physics, Univ of California - Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of California - Irvine

  • Ruqian Wu

    Univ of California - Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of California - Irvine, University of California, Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Physics, Univ of California - Irvine

  • Wilson Ho

    Physics and Astronomy, Univ of California - Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, University of California, Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Univ of California - Irvine, Physics, Univ of California - Irvine, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of California - Irvine