Vertical Intermolecular\nElectronic Communication in\nDibenzo[6]phenacene on Ag(111)

Organic electronics are a growing field of research involving\nthe\ndesign of devices using organic molecules instead of traditional semiconductor\nmaterials. Organic molecules are more versatile and can be tailored\nto possess the desired electronic, mechanical, optical, and chemical\nproperties. Herein, dibenzo[6]phenacene (DB6P) is addressed, which\nis an organic molecule with a phenacene skeleton linearly extended\nwith additional benzene rings. Employing scanning tunneling microscopy\nand spectroscopy, we studied the growth of DB6P on a Ag(111) surface\nand the emerging electronic states. Molecules grew initially planar\non the surface, while the growth of the second layer continued in\na stacked configuration with a rotated unit cell. This rotation resulted\nin a Moiré-like modulation, providing experimental access to\nthe vertical electronic interaction between molecules in different\nlayers. The study findings are important because they could lead to\nthe development of new types of organic electronic devices with improved\nperformance and functionality.