STM Investigation of Temperature-Dependent Two-Dimensional Supramolecular Architectures of C60 and Amino-tetraphenylporphyrin on Ag(110)

Multicomponent supramolecular self-assemblies of exceptional long-range order and low defectivity are obtained if C60 and 5-(4-aminophenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (TPP-NH2) are assembled on Ag(110) by sequential evaporation in the submonolayer range of TPP-NH2 and fullerene on the substrate surface and subsequent annealing. A (±2 −3, 6 ± 3) array consisting of supramolecular stripes of a 1:1 C60/TPP-NH2 2D adduct develops at 410 K (the low temperature, LT, phase). If the LT phase is annealed at 470 K, then a 3:1 fullerene/TPP-NH2 (±3 −5, 5 ± 5) nanoporous array (the HT phase) forms, with each pore containing a single porphyrin molecule. Phase separation occurs by annealing the HT phase at 520 K. Structural models are proposed and discussed on the basis of the experimental scanning tunneling microscopy results.