1. Structure transformation from Sierpiński triangles to chains assisted by gas molecules.
- Author
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Li, Chao, Xu, Zhen, Zhang, Yajie, Li, Jie, Xue, Na, Li, Ruoning, Zhong, Mingjun, Wu, Tianhao, Wang, Yifan, Li, Na, Shen, Ziyong, Hou, Shimin, Berndt, Richard, Wang, Yongfeng, and Gao, Song
- Subjects
SCANNING tunneling microscopy ,DENSITY functional theory ,SCANNING probe microscopy ,TRIANGLES ,MOLECULES - Abstract
Reversible transformations between fractals and periodic structures are of fundamental importance for understanding the formation mechanism of fractals. Currently, it is still a challenge to controllably achieve such a transformation. We investigate the effect of CO and CO
2 molecules on Sierpiński triangles (STs) assembled from Fe atoms and 4,4″-dicyano-1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl (C3PC) molecules on Au surfaces. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we discover that the gas molecules induce a transition from STs into 1D chains. Based on density functional theory modeling, we propose that the atomistic mechanism involves the transformation of a stable 3-fold coordination Fe(C3PC)3 motif to Fe(C3PC)4 with an axially bonded CO molecule. CO2 causes the structural transformation through a molecular catassembly process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
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