Photoreaction of matrix-isolated dihydroazulene-functionalized molecules on Au{111}

Bala Krishna Pathem, Yue Bing Zheng, Seth Morton, Michael Åxman Petersen, Yuxi Zhao, Choong Heui Chung, Yang Yang, Lasse Jensen, Mogens Brøndsted Nielsen, Paul S. Weiss

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dihydroazulenes are photochromic molecules that reversibly switch between two distinct geometric and conductivity states. Molecular design, surface attachment, and precise control over the assembly of such molecular machines are critical in order to understand molecular function and motion at the nanoscale. Here, we use surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy on special atomically flat, plasmonically enhanced substrates to measure the photoreaction kinetics of isolated dihydroazulene-functionalized molecules assembled on Au{111}, which undergo a ring-opening reaction upon illumination with UV light and switch back to the initial isomer via thermal relaxation. Photokinetic analyses reveal the high efficiency of the dihydroazulene photoreaction on solid substrates compared to other photoswitches. An order of magnitude decrease in the photoreaction cross section of surface-bound dihydroazulenes was observed when compared with the cross sections of these molecules in solution.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)337-343
Number of pages7
JournalNano letters
Volume13
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 13 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Bioengineering
  • Chemistry(all)
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanical Engineering

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