Manipulation and adsorption-site mapping of single pentacene molecules on Cu(111)

Abstract
Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy at 7K is used to study the adsorption and manipulation of single pentacene molecules on Cu(111). Controlled lateral translations of the molecule are performed along different high-symmetry directions of the substrate via attractive tip-molecule interactions. By means of a detailed site-mapping technique combining lateral manipulations of the molecule and of native substrate adatoms we determine the adsorptive configuration of the aromatic molecule. We find a planar adsorption geometry with the long molecular axis aligned with the close-packed Cu atom rows and the benzene units centered over hexagonal close-packed hollow sites of the substrate.