Single-molecule dynamics in a self-assembled 2D molecular sieve

A two-dimensional molecular sieve has been realized. It consists of a host matrix of molecularly engineered building blocks self-assembled at the liquid-solid interface. The simultaneous size- and shape-dependent dynamics of different guest molecules is observed in situ, in real time with submolecular resolution using a scanning tunneling microscope both at the liquid-solid interface and under vacuum. The temperature-dependent dynamics reveals that the diffusion proceeds through thermally activated channeling between single-molecule surface cavities.