在Au(111)表面酞菁单分子与钴原子可控金属化反应（英文）

本文利用低温扫描隧道显微术和第一性原理计算研究了吸附在Au(111)表面的酞菁分子(_H2Pc)与Co原子在单分子水平上的金属化反应过程.通过扫描探针的操纵手段,以可控的方式原位实现了单个H2Pc分子与钴原子反应生成CoPc的金属化酞菁产物,揭示出源于H_2Pc和Co原子的π-d相互作用的中间过程.结合第一性原理计算和中间产物的图像模拟,进一步阐明了这一氧化还原反应中成键和断键的关键机制,即脱氢和金属化过程并非由Co原子和吡咯环的H作用所致,而与Co原子和吡咯环上的N原子之间的作用有关.     

在Au(111)表面酞菁单分子与钴原子可控金属化反应

本文利用低温扫描隧道显微术和第一性原理计算研究了吸附在Au(111)表面的酞菁分子(H₂Pc)与Co原子在单分子水平上的金属化反应过程. 通过扫描探针的操纵手段,以可控的方式原位实现了单个H₂Pc分子与钴原子反应生成CoPc的金属化酞菁产物,揭示出源于H₂Pc和Co原子的π-d相互作用的中间过程. 结合第一性原理计算和中间产物的图像模拟,进一步阐明了这一氧化还原反应中成键和断键的关键机制,即脱氢和金属化过程并非由Co原子和吡咯环的H作用所致,而与Co原子和吡咯环上的N原子之间的作用有关.     

钴修饰氮化铝纳米管的储氢性能

本文采用密度泛函理论中的广义梯度近似系统地研究了钴原子修饰的(5,5)单壁氮化铝纳米管(SWANNT)的几何结构、电子性质以及储氢性能.研究结果表明:钴原子倾向于以顶位的形式吸附于(5,5) SWANNT表面N原子上.在钴原子周围可以吸附4个完整的H分子,平均吸附能为0.624 e V,表明钴原子修饰的SWANNT材料有望在温和环境中实现对H分子的快速吸附和脱附.     

氢原子吸附对金表面金属酞菁分子的吸附位置、自旋和手征性的调控

实现单个功能有机分子构型、电子结构和自旋态的可逆调控, 是未来分子电子学和分子自旋电子学应用的关键. 近年来, 我们利用极低温强磁场超高真空扫描隧道显微镜系统, 结合第一性原理计算, 系统研究了氢原子吸附对金表面吸附的金属酞菁分子的自旋、手性和吸附位置的调控. 通过将金表面吸附的酞菁锰分子暴露于氢气或氢原子环境, 使得分子中心的磁性离子吸附单个氢原子, 从而实现了体系近藤效应由“开”到“关”的转变. 基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算表明, 氢原子吸附使得锰离子3d轨道内的电荷重排导致了分子的自旋由3/2降为1; 同时分子与金基底的间距增大, 使得近藤效应消失. 通过施加局域电压脉冲或者给样品加热, 可以实现单个或所有分子脱氢, 从而恢复体系的自旋态和近藤效应. 氢原子吸附还导致分子的优先吸附位置从金表面的面心立方堆垛区域变成了六角密排堆垛区域. 三个氢原子吸附于同一酞菁锰分子上, 可导致分子对称性的降低及分子镜面对称轴与金基底镜面对称轴的偏离, 从而导致手征性的出现. 这种分子吸附结构的手征性, 导致分子轨道也呈现出手征性. 这项工作为金属酞菁未来在分子电子学、自旋电子学、气体传感器等方面的应用提供了新思路.     

单个钛原子储氢能力和储氢机制的第一性原理研究

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法研究了单个过渡金属钛原子吸附氢分子的物理机制. 研究表明,单个钛原子最多能吸附8对氢分子,吸附结构为对称的两个类金字塔型结构, 其平均吸附能为- 0.28 eV.通过计算轨道能级和差分电荷密度分布,分析决定吸附结构、 吸附能大小以及吸附氢分子数目的内在物理机制.研究表明,钛原子的4s电子转移到3d轨道上, 从而产生较强的极化电场,导致氢分子极化,钛原子通过静电极化作用吸附氢分子. 本文的研究将对设计高密度储氢材料有一定的指导作用.     

物理新闻和动态

对单个原子磁极化的观察美国加州伯克利分校的M.Crommie博士和他在美国海军科学实验室的同行们进行了一项实验研究.他们测定了金属表面上附加的单个原子的自旋性质.首先,他们在铜晶面(111晶面)上形成多个三角形的钴原子岛.由于钴金属是铁磁体,因此钴原子的自旋会以相同的排列方向形成畴,即有些岛域的钴原子自旋是向上的,而另一些岛域的自旋是向下的.还有一些磁性原子分散在小岛上,被称为吸附原子,它们将与作为基底的钴原子发生磁相互作用,从而使吸附原子的自旋有的向上,有的向下.接着再抛撒一些铁原子(有时也使用铬原子)到钴原子岛上,这些…     

ITO负载单原子钇吸附NO和CO的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论,对氧化铟锡(Indium Tin Oxide,ITO)表面负载单原子Y模型的表面性能进行了第一性原理计算.根据表面能计算结果可知,单原子Y最稳定负载位置为空位(H),即确定了ITO负载单原子钇(Single-atom Y supported on ITO,Y/ITO)稳定模型.对ITO和Y/ITO表面吸附气体分子(NO和CO)模型的吸附性能进行了第一性原理计算.根据对比ITO和Y/ITO表面的吸附能和态密度计算结果可知,单原子钇负载提高了ITO表面的稳定性和吸附性能.根据对比Y/ITO表面吸附NO和CO气体分子的吸附能和态密度计算结果可知,NO和CO气体分子吸附均为自发行为,过程放热.且NO气体分子更容易吸附在Y/ITO表面,即Y/ITO对NO气体分子更敏感.     

H2S在五边形BCN上的吸附与解离的第一性原理计算研究

基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算方法,研究了H2S分子在五边形BCN上的吸附与解离过程. 研究结果表明,五边形BCN结构的B原子是H2S分子的最稳定的活性吸附位点. H2S分子在该活性位点极易解离,其初步解离过程为放热反应且分解势垒仅为0.208 eV,并形成稳定的HS/H产物. 深入研究发现,H2S分子初步解离后的五边形BCN表面,可直接分解后续吸附的H2S分子. 该研究结果为五边形BCN对H2S分子的吸附解离机制提供理论借鉴,并且首次提出五边形BCN可作为功能性材料净化有害气体H2S的理想候选者.     

理论研究过渡金属原子修饰石墨炔材料的功能性

采用基于密度泛函理论中第一性原理方法分别对石墨炔负载过渡金属原子(M-gra)体系的稳定构型以及对多种气体小分子的灵敏度和选择性进行理论研究.计算结果表明金属原子吸附在孔洞结构的H2位具有高稳定性,不同种类的金属原子能够有效调控石墨炔体系的电子特性和具有不同的磁矩.比较气体分子的吸附能大小,M-gra衬底对O和OH表现出高的灵敏度,单个NO、NO₂和O₂的稳定性高于CO分子.此外,小分子吸附的M-gra体系具有金属、半金属和半导体特性,在电子和气敏器件领域具有潜在应用.     

Au(111)表面吸附单个八乙基钴卟啉分子的电子态和输运性质调控

通过低温超高真空扫描隧道显微镜及其谱学方法研究并展示了分子配体在调控表面吸附的单个八乙基钴卟啉(CoOEP)分子的电子态和输运性质中的重要作用. 通过单分子剪裁可以脱去该分子外围的甲基, 并在中心钴原子的微分电导谱中观察测到d轨道共振到近藤共振的演变. 实验结果结合第一性原理的理论计算研究表明, 在脱去甲基前后中心钴原子的化学环境和磁矩均未发生显著变化, 这一演变可以通过一个简化模型来阐释并被归结为脱去甲基后分子配体与衬底成键改变了体系隧穿参数所导致. 此外, 实验结果表明CoOEP分子配体的输运性质可受到分子间距离和范德华相互作用的显著调控. 在CoOEP低聚体中位于分子之间的乙基被抬高, 同时在其微分电导谱谱中0–0.8 V区域内新出现一个强的共振峰. 这一新的共振峰表现出等间距的多峰细节, 其峰间距与卟啉环和乙基之间的C–C键伸缩模式能量符合. 这一新共振峰的出现被归结为由于分子局部与衬底耦合减弱形成双结隧穿体系所导致的振子态隧穿峰.     

When scanning tunneling microscopy gets the wrong adsorption site: H on Rh(100)

At low tunneling resistance, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of a Rh(100) surface with adsorbed hydrogen reproducibly show protrusions in all bridge sites of the surface, leading to a naive interpretation of all bridge sites being occupied with H atoms. Using quantitative low-energy electron diffraction and temperature programmed desorption we find a much lower H coverage, with most H atoms in fourfold hollow sites. Density functional theory calculations show that the STM result is due to the influence of the tip, attracting the mobile H atoms into bridge sites. This demonstrates that STM images of highly mobile adsorbates can be strongly misleading and underlines the importance of additional analysis techniques.     

Localized molecular constraint on electron delocalization in a metallic chain

An artificial quantum structure consisting of a single CO molecule adsorbed on a Au chain was assembled by manipulating single Au atoms on NiAl(110) at 12 K with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The CO disrupts the delocalization of electron density waves in the chain, as it suppresses the coupling between neighboring chain atoms. The possibility to specify the CO position on the chain allows controlled modification of the electronic properties in a quantum system. Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy with the STM provides vibrational characterization of the adsorbed CO.     

MOCVD of Fe atoms on H/Si(111) surfaces using Fe-phthalocyanine

Single Fe atoms are deposited on hydrogen-passivated Si(111) surfaces by decomposition of FePc molecules. The metal-organic molecules are evaporated from powder in a heated crucible of an electron beam source. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) indicates the incorporation of the central Fe atom of the molecule into H/Si(111) in the near-surface region. This provides a possible precursor state for implantation deeper into the semiconductor substrate.     

Direct observation of the quantum tunneling of single hydrogen atoms with a scanning tunneling microscope

Single hydrogen atoms were imaged on the Cu(001) surface by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The vibrations of individual H and D atoms against the surface were excited and detected by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (STM-IETS). Variable temperature measurements of H atom diffusion showed a transition from thermally activated diffusion to quantum tunneling at 60 K. Regimes of phonon-assisted and electron-limited quantum tunneling were observed. The thermal diffusion rate of D atoms varied over 7 orders of magnitude between 80 and 50 K with no transition to quantum tunneling down to a thermal hopping rate of 4x10(-7) s(-1).     

STM tunneling through a quantum wire with a side-attached impurity

The STM tunneling through a quantum wire (QW) with a side-attached impurity (atom, island) is investigated using a tight-binding model and the non-equilibrium Keldysh Green function method. The impurity can be coupled to one or more QW atoms. The presence of the impurity strongly modifies the local density of states of the wire atoms, thus influences the STM tunneling through all the wire atoms. The transport properties of the impurity itself are also investigated mainly as a function of the wire length and the way it is coupled to the wire. It is shown that the properties of the impurity itself and the way it is coupled to the wire strongly influence the STM tunneling, the density of states and differential conductance.     

Quenching of giant hysteresis effects in La(1-z)Y(z)Hx switchable mirrors

Hydrogen atoms adsorbed on TiO2(110)-(1x1) surfaces have been characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) combined with electron stimulated desorption (ESD) technique. Certain amounts of H atoms are unexpectedly found on the TiO2 surfaces annealed at 900 K. Two forms of adsorption were discriminated in STM images from the different sensitivity to ESD and tentatively assigned to hydroxyl-type (O-H) and hydride-type (Ti-H) species.     

Controlling adsorption status of individual fullerene at room-temperature

The influence of Ag atoms on the adsorption statuses of individual fullerene molecules on Si surface at room temperature has been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. For a fullerene molecule, its adsorption status can be switched from one initial state into multiple final states by attaching Ag atoms onto various parts of the molecule. Once silver atoms are removed from the adsorption sites by a STM tip, the adsorption statuses of the fullerene molecules are recovered as that for fullerene molecules on a bare Si surface.     

Interpretation of orientational contrast in STM images of GaAs(1 1 0) cleavage surface

The electronic structure of GaAs(1 1 0) surface is analyzed using Density Functional Theory (DFT-GGA) in atomic orbital basis (LCAO). The surface orbitals and the corresponding local density of electronic states (LDOS) are calculated for purposes of interpreting STM images. We show how local atomic orbitals of surface atoms are related to tunneling channels for electrons in STM imaging. A destructive interference between orbitals of two neighbouring atoms increases the contrast between the two atoms, and this is reflected in directionality of STM patterns of GaAs(1 1 0) surfaces. We also discuss how the basic formalism of Tersoff-Hamann approach to STM simulation can be reformulated to reveal the role of phase difference between tunneling channels.     

Direct measurement of electron transport features in cytochrome c via V–I characteristics of STM currents

The morphology of and electron tunneling through single and cluster cytochrome c molecules deposited on self-assembled dodecanthiol monolayer film on a gold substrate have been studied experimentally using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy. STM images of a single cytochrome c molecule revealed a globular structure with a diameter of 4 nm and height of 1.5 nm. A spectroscopic study obtained by recording tunneling current–bias voltage (V–I) curves revealed that the STM current increases stepwise at asymmetric threshold sample bias voltages of +100 mV and –200 mV.     

Electron tunneling from a metallic TS2 layer underneath an ultra-thin MS layer with semiconducting properties for misfit-layer compounds

The effects of electron tunneling from the underlying TS₂ (H) layer on the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of the uppermost MS (Q) layer have been studied for the misfit-layer compounds which are represented by the chemical formula {(MS)_1+x}_m{TS₂}_n. Systematic STM observations have been carried out under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions for the 1Q/1H, 1.5Q/1H and 2Q/1H types of misfit-layer compounds. As Q layer thickness increases from about 6 to 12 Å while going from the 1Q/1H type to the 2Q/1H type, pseudo-tetragonal arrays of bright spots as expected from the atomic arrangement of a Q layer are observed more easily and more distinctly. It is found that tunneling electrons from the underlying H layer play an important role on the STM observations of the 1Q/1H and 1.5Q/1H types of compounds. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) analyses give clear evidences for electron tunneling from the underlying H layer and scattering by surface atoms of the uppermost Q layer and a mutual modulation structure peculiar to the compounds.