Self-assembly of C 60 into highly ordered chain-like structures on HOPG observed at ambient conditions

Abstract The observation of chain-like structures of self-assembled C 60 molecules on HOPG surfaces at room temperature in aerial atmosphere by means of scanning tunneling microscopy is reported. The ca. 2.5 nm center-to-center distance between two fullerene molecules is much larger than in the close-packed layered or film structures of C 60 usually found on HOPG surfaces. Ó 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Scanning tunneling microscopy; Fullerenes (C 60 ); Self-assembly; Nanostructures; Highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) The discovery of the C 60 molecule by Kroto et al. The most commonly used method for depositing fullerenes onto a substrate surface has been sublimation under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) condition