Removal of Adsorbed Organic Molecules with Scanning Tunneling Microscope: Formate Anions on TiO2(110) Surface
- 1 September 1994
- journal article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Japanese Journal of Applied Physics
- Vol. 33 (9B) , L1338
- https://doi.org/10.1143/jjap.33.l1338
Abstract
A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operated under ultrahigh vacuum enabled us to eliminate individual formate anions ( DCOO-) adsorbed on a TiO2(110) surface. When bias voltages of +3.7 V or more were applied on the sample, the formate anions were removed under the STM tip. In contrast, much higher voltages, +5.0 V or more, were required to damage the underlying TiO2 surface. Thus we could strip off the formate anions in a desired area without damage to the substrate, to create patchworks of uncovered substrate in the monolayer of adsorbed formate anions. The threshold bias voltage for the elimination showed a small dependence on tunneling current, suggesting that the removal process is through field evaporation rather than direct excitation or thermal activation by tunneling electrons.Keywords
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