Mapping the electrostatic force field of single molecules from high-resolution scanning probe images

Prokop Hapala, Martin Švec, Oleksandr Stetsovych, Nadine J. van der Heijden, Martin Ondráček, Joost van der Lit, Pingo Mutombo, Ingmar Swart () and Pavel Jelínek ()
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Prokop Hapala: Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Martin Švec: Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Oleksandr Stetsovych: Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Nadine J. van der Heijden: Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University
Martin Ondráček: Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Joost van der Lit: Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University
Pingo Mutombo: Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Ingmar Swart: Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University
Pavel Jelínek: Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract How electronic charge is distributed over a molecule determines to a large extent its chemical properties. Here, we demonstrate how the electrostatic force field, originating from the inhomogeneous charge distribution in a molecule, can be measured with submolecular resolution. We exploit the fact that distortions typically observed in high-resolution atomic force microscopy images are for a significant part caused by the electrostatic force acting between charges of the tip and the molecule of interest. By finding a geometrical transformation between two high-resolution AFM images acquired with two different tips, the electrostatic force field or potential over individual molecules and self-assemblies thereof can be reconstructed with submolecular resolution.

Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11560

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11560

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