Self-decoupled tetrapodal perylene molecules for luminescence studies of isolated emitters on Au(111)

Abstract

Self-decoupled tetrapodal perylene molecules were designed, synthesized, and deposited on the Au(111) surface through the electrospray ionization technique. Photoluminescence and lifetime measurements show that the chromophore groups of the designed molecules are well decoupled from the gold substrate. Preliminary scanning tunneling microscopy induced luminescence measurements indicate the observation of molecule-specific emissions from isolated single tetrapodal perylene molecules adsorbed directly on Au(111). The emergence of significant emission when the tip is positioned at the molecular center suggests that there is a considerable vertical component of the transition dipole of the designed molecule along the tip axial direction. Our results may open up a route for the realization of nanolight sources and plasmonic devices based on organic molecules.