Mathieu Koudia

On-surface synthesis of covalent coordination polymers on micrometer scale

On-surface synthesis under ultrahigh vacuum provides a promising strategy to control matter at the atomic level, with important implications for the design of new two-dimensional materials having remarkable electronic, magnetic, or catalytic properties. This strategy must address the problem of limited extension of the domains due to the irreversible nature of covalent bonds, which prevents the ripening of defects. We show here that extended materials can be produced by a controlled co-deposition process. In particular, co-deposition of quinoid zwitterion molecules with iron atoms on a Ag(111) surface held at 570 K allows the formation of micrometer-sized domains based on covalent coordination bonds. This work opens up the construction of micrometer-scale single-layer covalent coordination materials under vacuum conditions.

On-Surface Synthesis of Phthalocyanine Compounds

In this chapter, we review the recent progress in the synthesis of phthalocyanine compounds at metallic surfaces under ultra-high vacuum conditions. Starting with tetra-carbonitrile-benzene molecules and magnetic atoms such as iron and manganese, we show that metal–organic coordination networks are formed at room temperature; then annealing at 500–600 K leads to the on-surface formation of phthalocyanine compounds. This reaction has been studied step-by-step by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The last part of this chapter is dedicated to the study of larger precursors functionalized with tetra-carbonitrile groups that react with copper atoms to form original polymers linked by phthalocyanine cores.