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Observation of Collective Photoswitching in Free-Standing TATA-Based Azobenzenes on Au(111) |
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| Authors: | Talina R Rusch Alexander Schlimm Nicolai R Krekiehn Tobias Tellkamp Dr Šimon Budzák Prof Denis Jacquemin Prof Felix Tuczek Prof Rainer Herges Prof Olaf M Magnussen |
| Institution: | 1. Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany;2. Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany;3. Otto Diels Institute of Organic Chemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany;4. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Banska Bystrica, Slovakia;5. CEISAM Lab—UMR 6230—, CNRS/University of Nantes, Nantes, France |
| Abstract: | Light-induced transitions between the trans and cis isomer of triazatriangulenium-based azobenzene derivatives on Au(111) surfaces were observed directly by scanning tunneling microscopy, allowing atomic-scale studies of the photoisomerization kinetics. Although the azobenzene units in these adlayers are free-standing and spaced at uniform distances of 1.26 nm, their photoswitching depends on the isomeric state of the surrounding molecules and, specifically, is accelerated by neighboring cis isomers. These collective effects are supported by ab initio calculations indicating that the electronic excitation preferably localizes on the n–π* state of trans isomers with neighboring cis azobenzenes. |
| Keywords: | cooperative effects functional self-assembled monolayers in situ STM isomers photoisomerization |