Controlled formation of artificial superstructures in C60 arrays via vertical STM manipulation

Precise manipulation of individual molecules to construct artificial superstructures presents a powerful strategy for investigating novel quantum phenomena. Despite this potential, vertical manipulation within densely packed C60 arrays remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate the successful vertical manipulation of individual C60 molecules within a well-ordered 4 × 4 phase C60 monolayer array on Cu(111) surfaces using a scanning tunneling microscope. This minimally invasive and highly precise technique enables site-specific removal and placement of molecules without perturbing the surrounding structure, thereby allowing for the creation of well-defined vacancy patterns. Using this method, we constructed an artificial C60 honeycomb lattice that maintains structural stability at 78 K. This method provides a reliable strategy for fabricating site-specific defects and customized molecular patterns within C60 arrays, offering an efficient platform for investigating the novel properties of artificial C60 lattices assembled on metal substrates.