Structure and Surface Interactions of Condensed Fullerene Materials

扫描隧道显微镜(STM)和原子力显微镜(AFM)正被用来直接对分离的富勒烯分子成像，并获得其局部态密度的映射。用表面显微镜研究了富勒烯的结构和电子性质。富勒烯-金属、富勒烯-半导体和富勒烯-分子在凝聚膜中的相互作用正在研究中。利用嵌入甲基异丁基酮薄膜中的C-60分子制备富勒烯复合材料。后者显示了明显的分子间对比，其起源正在本项目中进行研究。最后，正在研究显微镜技术中涉及的尖端-样品相互作用，目的是提高这些技术的实用性。这个项目涉及通过表面显微镜表征最近发现的一组具有重要技术意义的富勒烯分子。由这些分子组成的材料最近表现出了固体物理学家以及材料科学家和化学家感兴趣的显著性质。拟议的研究将提供有关这些材料的结构和电子性质的信息。这些信息具有根本的意义，应该为这些材料的实际应用铺平道路。

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are being used to directly image isolated fullerene molecules and obtain a mapping of their local density of states. The structure and electronic properties of the fullerenes are being studied by the surface microscopy tools. Fullerene-metal, fullerene-semiconductor, and fullerene-molecule interactions in condensed films are under study. Preparation of composite fullerene materials will be carried out using C-60 molecules embedded in methyl isobutyl ketone films. The latter have revealed pronounced intermolecular contrast, the origins of which are being investigated in this project. Finally, the tip-sample interactions involved in the microscopy technique is being investigated with the objective of improving the utility of these techniques. %%% This project concerns the characterization, by surface microscopy, of a technologically important group of the recently discovered fullerene molecules. Materials composed of these molecules have recently demonstrated dramatic properties of interest to solid state physicists as well as materials scientists and chemists. The proposed research will provide information about the structure and electronic properties of these materials. This information is of fundamental interest and should pave the way toward practical application of these materials.