Electronic structure of highly ordered films of self-assembled graphitic nanocolumns

Highly ordered, several nanometers thick films of alkylated large planar, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules have been grown on semi-metallic molybdenum disulfide substrates. The films are characterized by a two-dimensional lateral arrangement of columns standing at the surface on a macroscopic scale. The self-assembly of such insulated columns of face-to-face disks with surface-induced vertical alignment has been achieved directly from solution processing. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectra revealed a highly anisotropic quasi-one-dimensional electronic structure with an extended $\pi$-electronic wave function. An intermolecular dispersion of the highest occupied band of at least 0.15 eV along the stacking direction has been measured. A partial breakdown of the concept of quasimomentum due to the finite size of the nano-objects perpendicular to the stacks is observed.