Measuring reversible photomechanical switching rates for a molecule at a surface

作者：Comstock Matthew J; Levy Niv; Cho Jongweon; Berbil Bautista Luis; Crommie Michael F^*; Poulsen Daniel A; Frechet Jean M J

来源：Applied Physics Letters, 2008, 92(12): 123107.

DOI：10.1063/1.2901877

We have used single-molecule-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy to measure the photomechanical switching rates of azobenzene-derived molecules at a gold surface during exposure to UV and visible light. This enables the direct determination of both the forward and reverse photoswitching cross sections for surface-mounted molecules at different wavelengths. In a dramatic departure from molecular behavior in solution-based environments, visible light does not efficiently reverse the reaction for azobenzene-derived molecules at a gold surface.

• 出版日期2008-3-24