Reconstructed Cd(0001) Surface Induced by Adsorption of Triphenyl Bismuth

Abstract

Largish molecules on metal surfaces may act as not only the building blocks of 2D self-assemblies, but also as the template to reshape the metal surfaces. Here, we report the molecular adsorption-induced formation of the periodic nanostripe arrays of substrate atoms through long-range mass transport. When adsorbed on the close-packed Cd(0001) surface, the triphenyl bismuth (TPB) molecules form a 2D self-assembly with 4 × √13 reconstruction. Simultaneously, periodic nanostripe arrays of Cd atoms appear on the substrate terraces. High-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images indicate that the Cd nanostrips are built from the parallel segments of Cd atomic chains with 2 × 2 reconstruction. In the mixed phase, the Cd atomic chains exhibit only high-order commensuration when situated between two molecular domains. The massive structural rearrangement of the Cd(0001) surface can be attributed to a strong molecule–substrate interaction.