Planar bridging an atomically precise surface trench with a single molecular wire on an Au(111) surface

In a bridge configuration, a single graphene nanoribbon (GNR) is positioned with a picometer precision over a trench in between two monoatomic steps on an Au(1 1 1) surface. This GNR molecular wire adopts a deformed conformation towards the down terrace in between the two contact step edges. Using differential conductance dI/dV mapping from a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope, it is demonstrated how the electronic delocalization along GNR is cut at each contact by its down curvature. It points out the need to bring conductive nanocontacts backside of the support for preserving the front side GNR planar conformation.

Automated summary

Through scanning tunneling microscopy experiments, it is discovered that graphene nanoribbons on a gold surface are cut and deformed at the contact points, highlighting the importance of maintaining the planar conformation of the nanoribbons.