C60 self-organization at the interface between a liquid C60 solution and a Au(111) surface

The interface between a solution of C-60 Molecules in tetradecane and a Au(1 1 1) surface has been studied by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy. For a diluted solution, C-60 islands with very mobile boundaries separated by disordered areas are found. While some two-dimension disordered C-60 clusters are observed, the large majority of islands presents a periodic hexagonal packing of C-60 molecules. This packing corresponds to either a 2root3 x 2root3 R30 arrangement with respect to Au(1 11) lattice or an in-phase overlayer. These structures agree well with the results obtained on ultra high vacuum-deposited C-60 overlayers on the same substrate [Surf. Sci. 279 (1992) 49]. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.