Anisotropic molecular dynamics in the vicinity of order-disorder transitions in organic monolayers
- 31 August 1992
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 69 (9), 1395-1398
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.69.1395
Abstract
Variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to observe molecular dynamics in the vicinity of order-disorder transitions in alkane monolayers at the interface between graphite and organic fluids. In crystalline lamellae adsorbed from solution a reversible increase in longitudinal molecular motion with increasing temperature is observed, until the amplitude becomes comparable to the lamella width and the order disappears. A two-dimensional smectic and a columnar phase are observed at the interface with a neat melt and a solution of a particularly long-chain alkane, respectively.Keywords
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