Non-contact atomic force microscopy was used to study thin films of C60 on Au(111). After observing the Au(111)-(23 x √3) reconstruction, 2 to 3 monolayers of C60 were deposited onto the Au surface. The close-packed C60 surface was imaged by non-contact atomic force microscopy with molecular resolution. Enhanced corrugation and a stretching of the C60 lattice were observed at step edges. Based on a calculation of the force required to displace an edge molecule, it was proposed that the edge effects were a result of tip-induced displacements of edge molecules. While imaging small clusters of C60, some molecules were removed, leading to structural rearrangements of the clusters.

Molecular Resolution Imaging of C60 on Au(111) by Non-Contact Atomic Force Microscopy. J.M.Mativetsky, S.A.Burke, R.Hoffmann, Y.Sun, P.Grutter: Nanotechnology, 2004, 15[2], S40-3