Dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in electronic transport through singleC60molecules

Low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy and first-principles calculations are used to characterize electron transport through vibronic states of C60 molecules. This is achieved by positioning a C60 molecule on top of a molecular self-assembled template on Au(111). In these conditions, conductance spectra are shown to reveal the dynamic Jahn-Teller effect of the C60 molecule. This vibronic transport study helps in solving a long-standing debate [Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 1875 (1995); Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 196402 (2003)] on density-functional calculations of the C60 electron-phonon coupling strength.
T.F. acknowledges support from the Danish FNU -Grant No. 272-07-0114. A.A. and T.F. thank partial financial support from UPV/EHU Grant No. IT-366-07 and MEC -Grant No. FIS2007-66711-C02-01. N.L. acknowledges support from MEC -Grant No. FIS2006-12117-C04-01. Financial support by the DFG through Contracts No. SPP 1243 and No. Sfb 658 is gratefully acknowledged.