Packing fractal Sierpiński triangles into one-dimensional crystals via a templating method

Abstract

Crystalline structures with Sierpiński triangles as building blocks were constructed via a templating method in an ultra-high vacuum and studied by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. Cobalt atoms and 4,4′′-dicyano-1,1′:3′,1′′-terphenyl molecules were used to build the Sierpiński triangles. The Au(100)-(hex), Au(111)-22 × , and stepped Au(111) surfaces were used as templates to guide the packing of Sierpiński triangles. One-dimensional double chains and two-dimensional small domains of Sierpiński triangles were successfully prepared using the method in experiments.