Atomic Force Microscopy of the Electrochemical Nucleation and Growth of Molecular Crystals
Abstract
In situ atomic force microscopy reveals the morphology, surface topology, and growth and dissolution characteristics of microscopic single crystals of the low dimensional organic conductor (tetrathiafulvalene)Br(0.76), which are grown by electrocrystallization on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrode in an atomic force microscope liquid cell. The growth modes, and the distribution and orientation of topographic features (i.e., terraces, ledges, and kinks) on specific crystal faces, as assigned by 'atomic force microscopy goniometry', can be correlated with the strength and direction of anisotropic solid state intermolecular bonding. The influence of substrate structure was evident during growth on the (011) face of (tetrathiafulvalene) Br(0.76) crystals, which involves the formation of oriented self-similar triangular islands ranging from 200 A to 5000 A along a side. These nuclei eventually transform into rectangular rafts at larger length scales, where bulk intermolecular bonding interactions and surface energies dominate over nuclei- substrate interactions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 23, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA280958
Entities
People
- A. C. Hillier
- M. D. Ward
Organizations
- University of Minnesota