Showing papers by "Amandine Bellec published in 2016"

Molecular-scale dynamics of light-induced spin cross-over in a two-dimensional layer.

Abstract: Spin cross-over molecules show the unique ability to switch between two spin states when submitted to external stimuli such as temperature, light or voltage. If controlled at the molecular scale, such switches would be of great interest for the development of genuine molecular devices in spintronics, sensing and for nanomechanics. Unfortunately, up to now, little is known on the behaviour of spin cross-over molecules organized in two dimensions and their ability to show cooperative transformation. Here we demonstrate that a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy measurements and ab initio calculations allows discriminating unambiguously between both states by local vibrational spectroscopy. We also show that a single layer of spin cross-over molecules in contact with a metallic surface displays light-induced collective processes between two ordered mixed spin-state phases with two distinct timescale dynamics. These results open a way to molecular scale control of two-dimensional spin cross-over layers.

Control of Molecule–Metal Interaction by Hydrogen Manipulation in an Organic Molecule

Abstract: Free-base porphyrin molecules offer appealing options to tune the interaction with their environment via the manipulation of their inner hydrogen atoms and molecular conformation. Using scanning tunneling microscopy we show, through a systematic study, that the molecular conformation, electronic gap, wave function, and molecule–substrate interaction are modified by hydrogen switch or removal. Experimental results in combination with ab initio calculations provide an understanding of the underlying physical process.

Molecular adsorbates as probes of the local properties of doped graphene

Abstract: Graphene-based sensors are among the most promising of graphene’s applications. The ability to signal the presence of molecular species adsorbed on this atomically thin substrate has been explored from electric measurements to light scattering. Here we show that the adsorbed molecules can be used to sense graphene properties. The interaction of porphyrin molecules with nitrogen-doped graphene has been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy and ab initio calculations. Molecular manipulation was used to reveal the surface below the adsorbed molecules allowing to achieve an atomic-scale measure of the interaction of molecules with doped graphene. The adsorbate’s frontier electronic states are downshifted in energy as the molecule approaches the doping site, with largest effect when the molecule sits over the nitrogen dopant. Theoretical calculations showed that, due to graphene’s high polarizability, the adsorption of porphyrin induces a charge rearrangement on the substrate similar to the image charges on a metal. This charge polarization is enhanced around nitrogen site, leading to an increased interaction of molecules with their image charges on graphene. Consequently, the molecular states are stabilized and shift to lower energies. These findings reveal the local variation of polarizability induced by nitrogen dopant opening new routes towards the electronic tuning of graphene.

Molecular adsorbates as probes of the local properties of doped

Abstract: Graphene-based sensors are among the most promising of graphene’s applications. The ability to signal the presence of molecular species adsorbed on this atomically thin substrate has been explored from electric measurements to light scattering. Here we show that the adsorbed molecules can be used to sense graphene properties. The interaction of porphyrin molecules with nitrogen-doped graphene has been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy and ab initio calculations. Molecular manipulation was used to reveal the surface below the adsorbed molecules allowing to achieve an atomic-scale measure of the interaction of molecules with doped graphene. The adsorbate’s frontier electronic states are downshifted in energy as the molecule approaches the doping site, with largest effect when the molecule sits over the nitrogen dopant. Theoretical calculations showed that, due to graphene’s high polarizability, the adsorption of porphyrin induces a charge rearrangement on the substrate similar to the image charges on a metal. This charge polarization is enhanced around nitrogen site, leading to an increased interaction of molecules with their image charges on graphene. Consequently, the molecular states are stabilized and shift to lower energies. These findings reveal the local variation of polarizability induced by nitrogen dopant opening new routes towards the electronic tuning of graphene.

Order-disorder phase transition in Au 2 Fe on Ru(0001)

Abstract: Order-disorder transition of the epitaxial surface alloy of bulk immiscible elements ${\mathrm{Au}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{x}$ on Ru(0001) is studied using complementary experiments of scanning tunneling microscopy and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction. For $x\ensuremath{\simeq}1/3$, we evidence an apparent continuous transition towards disorder with increasing temperature from 550 to 700 K. An ordered ${\mathrm{Au}}_{2}\mathrm{Fe}$ two-dimensional alloy is found to be composed of nanometer size domains of the three variants that switch to a two-dimensional solid solution with temperature. A two-levels model is developed to analyze those results which conducts to interpret this phase transition as the result of an order-disorder transition within two dimensional uncorrelated grains, or domains, with nearly fixed size. This system is a good candidate in order to study two-dimensional phase transitions of surface alloy, a largely unexplored domain but crucial to understanding thermal stability of bimetallic nanoparticles.