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arXiv · 2501.03822

Electroisomerization blinking of an azobenzene derivative molecule

Sylvie Godey·Hugo Therssen·David Guérin·Thierry Melin·Stéphane Lenfant
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Abstract

We report here the reversibility and bistability of the switching behavior in an azobenzene derivative induced by the bias applied by a Scanning-Tunneling Microscopy (STM) tip, at low temperature and in ultra-high vacuum environment. This cis-to-trans and trans-to-cis switching were observed during STM imaging in either polarity at +2V or -2V, on a sub-second time scale. This results in a blinking effect visible on STM images, corresponding to the reversible switching of the azobenzene molecule under the applied STM bias through an electric field induced process.

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Sylvie Godey, Hugo Therssen, David Guérin, Thierry Melin, Stéphane Lenfant. 2025-01-07. Electroisomerization blinking of an azobenzene derivative molecule. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528%2Fada2f3

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