Highlighting functional groups in self-assembled overlayers with specific functionalized scanning tunnelling microscopy tips

Overlayers of a fatty acid (palmitic and lauric acid) formed at the interface between a solution of this molecule in phenyloctane and the basal plane of graphite are studied by in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy. The layers organize into lamellae, which are formed by a close packing arrangement of molecules parallel to the graphite surface. Chemical modification of the STM tips used allowed identification of the functional group. Indeed, the gold tips used are functionalized with 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) and 4-mercaptotoluene (4-MT). The same functional group on a sample is then 'seen' as a dark and a bright spot when imaged with 4-MBA and 4-MT modified tips. respectively. This contrast distinction is related to interactions (or a lack of them) between the carboxyl group on the sample and Molecules on the tip, which can facilitate (or hinder) the electron tunnelling.