Propagation of conformation in the surface-aligned dissociation of single [CH.sub.3]SSC[H.sub.3] molecules on Au(111)

The dissociation of [CH.sub.3]SSC[H.sub.3] molecule absorbed on the Au(III) surface is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy. It is found that in the case of electron induced dissociation of the above compound, the ubiquitous geometrical trans-conformation of the [CH.sub.3] groups in [CH.sub.3]SSC[H.sub.3] is retained with a high probability as [CH.sub.3]S species are turned away from each other.