Chiral Discrimination and Manipulation of Individual Heptahelicene Molecules on Cu(001) by Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy

The adsorption configurations of heptahelicene ([7]H) molecules on Cu(001) are investigated with noncontact atomic force microscopy (ncAFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Because of the suppression of thermal diffusion at 5 K, racemic [7]H molecules exist as monomers, dimers, trimers, and tetramers on the surface. The terminal naphthaleno part of the molecule is attached horizontally to the substrate so that the two benzene ring centers are located at the hollow sites, whereas the other terminal is protruded toward a vacuum. A procedure for picking a [7]H molecule up from the surface (vertical manipulation) enables us to functionalize the tip apex to enhance the spatial resolution of ncAFM. The ncAFM images with the helicene tip clarify that whereas the tetramers are homochiral, the dimers and trimers are heterochiral. In contrast, homochiral dimers and trimers are unobservable probably because of the rapid formation of the stable homochiral tetramers. Thus, ncAFM imaging can identify the geomet...