Electroisomerization blinking of an azobenzene derivative molecule

We report here the reversibility and bistability of the switching behavior in an azobenzene derivative induced by the bias applied by a scanning-tunneling microscopy (STM) tip, at low temperature and in ultra-high vacuum environment. This cis-to-trans and trans-to-cis switching were observed during STM imaging in either polarity at +2 V or −2 V, on a sub-second time scale. This results in a blinking effect visible on STM images, corresponding to the reversible switching of the azobenzene molecule under the applied STM bias through an electric field induced process.

Sylvie Godey, Hugo Therssen, David Guérin, Thierry Mélin and Stéphane Lenfant, Nanotechnology 36 105702 DOI