Surface structural phase transition induced by the formation of metal–organic networks on the Si(111)-v7×v3-In surface

Suzuki, T.; Lawrence, J.; Morbec, J.M.; Kratzer, P.; Costantini, G.

doi:10.1039/C9NR07074E

Surface structural phase transition induced by the formation of metal–organic networks on the Si(111)-v7×v3-In surface

Suzuki, T.; Lawrence, J.; Morbec, J.M.; Kratzer, P.; Costantini, G.

Authors

T. Suzuki

J. Lawrence

Juliana Maria Abreu Da Silva Morbec j.morbec@keele.ac.uk

P. Kratzer

G. Costantini

Abstract

We studied the adsorption of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) on the Si(111)v7×v3 In surface, a known surface superconductor. Scanning tunneling microscopy shows the development of a surface-confined metal–organic network (SMON) where TCNQ molecules coordinate with indium atoms from the underlyin g v7×v3 reconstruction. The formation of the SMON causes a surface structural phase transition from the v7×v3 reconstruction to a previously unknown 5 × 5 reconstruction of the Si(111)–In surface. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements indicate that the 5 × 5 reconstruction has a stronger insulating character than the v7×v3 reconstruction. Density-functional-theory calculations are used to evaluate the atomic arrangement and stability of the 5 × 5 and v7×v3 reconstructions as a function of In coverage, and suggest that the structural phase transition is driven by a slight reduction of the In coverage, caused by the incorporation of indium atoms into the SMON.

Acceptance Date	Oct 24, 2019
Publication Date	Dec 7, 2019
Journal	Nanoscale
Print ISSN	2040-3364
Publisher	Royal Society of Chemistry
Pages	21790-21798
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1039/C9NR07074E
Publisher URL	http://doi.org/10.1039/C9NR07074E