The effect of fluorination on the surface structure of truxenones

Abstract

The surface structure of partially fluorinated truxenone (F₃-truxenone) molecules on Cu (111) has been probed using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Codeposition of F₃-truxenone and the parent truxenone molecule leads to a mix of discrete F₃-truxenone and truxenone islands on a Cu (111) surface. Due to the differences in rotational orientation of each type of molecular island proved by LEED the otherwise indistiguishable molecules can be identified in STM images.