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Title Disentangling electron- and electric field-induced ring-closing reactions in a diarylethene derivative on Ag(111)
Authors Gael Reecht, Christian Lotze, Dmytro Sysoiev, Thomas Huhn, Katharina J. Franke
Journal Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
Vol. 29, 2017, pg. 294001


Abstract Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy we investigate the adsorption properties and ring-closing reaction of a diarylethene derivative (C5F-4Py) on a Ag(111) surface. We identify an electron-induced reaction mechanism, with a quantum yield varying from 10^−14−10^−9 per electron upon variation of the bias voltage from 1−2 V. We ascribe the drastic increase in switching efficiency to a resonant enhancement upon tunneling through molecular orbitals. Additionally, we resolve the ring-closing reaction even in the absence of a current passing through the molecule. In this case the electric-field can modify the reaction barrier, leading to a finite switching probability at 4.8 K. A detailed analysis of the switching events shows that a simple plate-capacitor model for the tip-surface junction is insufficient to explain the distance dependence of the switching voltage. Instead, describing the tip as a sphere is in agreement with the findings. We resolve small differences in the adsorption configuration of the closed isomer, when comparing the electron- and field-induced switching product.



BibTeX entry
    @article{ AGP-2017:101,
      title = { Disentangling electron- and electric field-induced ring-closing reactions in a diarylethene derivative on Ag(111) },
      author = { Gael Reecht, Christian Lotze, Dmytro Sysoiev, Thomas Huhn, Katharina J. Franke },
      journal = { Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter },
      volume = { 29 },
      year = { 2017 },
      pages = { 294001-- },
    }