Nanoscale templating of one-dimensional surface molecular structures

Scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to demonstrate the formation of self-assembled one-dimensional ross of C-60 on Au/Ni(110), which is of interest in relation to molecular wire growth. This made use of the [001] direction chain structures formed at Au coverages greater than 0.4 monolayers to act as adsorption templates, the interchain separation being dictated by the coverage. C-60 molecules adsorb on the Au chain structures forming sinlge molecular rows aligned along the direction of the Au chains. The separation or C-60 molecules along [001] is approximately 10 Angstrom, the same as the bulk intermolecular spacing. [S0031-9007(97)05177-6].