Surface structural phase transition induced by the formation of metal–organic networks on the Si(111)-v7×v3-In surface

Suzuki, T.; Lawrence, J.; Morbec, J.M.; Kratzer, P.; Costantini, G.

Abstract

We studied the adsorption of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) on the Si(111)v7×v3 In surface, a known surface superconductor. Scanning tunneling microscopy shows the development of a surface-confined metal–organic network (SMON) where TCNQ molecules coordinate with indium atoms from the underlyin g v7×v3 reconstruction. The formation of the SMON causes a surface structural phase transition from the v7×v3 reconstruction to a previously unknown 5 × 5 reconstruction of the Si(111)–In surface. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements indicate that the 5 × 5 reconstruction has a stronger insulating character than the v7×v3 reconstruction. Density-functional-theory calculations are used to evaluate the atomic arrangement and stability of the 5 × 5 and v7×v3 reconstructions as a function of In coverage, and suggest that the structural phase transition is driven by a slight reduction of the In coverage, caused by the incorporation of indium atoms into the SMON.

Citation

Suzuki, T., Lawrence, J., Morbec, J., Kratzer, P., & Costantini, G. (2019). Surface structural phase transition induced by the formation of metal–organic networks on the Si(111)-v7×v3-In surface. Nanoscale, 21790-21798. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9NR07074E

• Acceptance Date: Oct 24, 2019
• Publication Date: Dec 7, 2019
• Journal: Nanoscale
• Print ISSN: 2040-3364
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Pages: 21790-21798
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C9NR07074E
• Publisher URL: http://doi.org/10.1039/C9NR07074E