Directional molecular sliding at room temperature on a silicon runway
Résumé
Design of working nanovehicules is a key challenge for the development of new devices. In this context, 1D controlled sliding of molecules on silicon-based surface is successfully achieved by using an optimized molecule-substrate pair. Even though molecule and surface are compatible, molecule-substrate interaction provides 1D template effect to guide molecular sliding along a preferential surface orientation. Molecular motion is monitored by STM experiments under ultra-high vacuum at room temperature. Molecule-surface interactions are elucidated by semi-empirical calculations.