Self-assembling of Zn porphyrins on a (110) face of rutile TiO2-The anchoring role of carboxyl groups

The ordering of zinc containing porphyrin molecules on surface of rutile TiO2(110)-(1x1) has been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in ultra-high vacuum at room temperature. It is demonstrated that a carboxylic group (COOH) has a profound impact on the immobilization of the molecules. At coverages below 0.1 monolayer only molecules equipped with the group COOH could be anchored to the surface and imaged with STM. At higher coverage both species, with and without the carboxyl substituent, assemble into ordered structures, forming complete monolayers. It is found, however, that the rhomboid unit cells of these structures exhibit differences in size.