INTERACTION OF C-60 WITH THE AU(111) 23X-ROOT-3 RECONSTRUCTION

The interaction of C60 with the 23 X square-root 3 Au(111) reconstruct ion was studied using UHV scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Preferr ed adsorption at fcc or bulk terminated sites was observed on depositi on and after annealing to partially desorb the C60 layer. Disruptions in the reconstruction were observed on the bare Au substrate neighbori ng the C60 layer with reconstruction ridges terminating at the layer e dges rather than continuing through the adsorbed layer. When low C60 d eposition rates were used, STM measurements indicated that virtually a ll Au atoms at the C60 interface occupy fcc bulk terminated sites indi cating that C60, unlike ordinary hydrocarbons, interacts strongly enou gh with Au to lift the reconstruction. These results are contrasted wi th results obtained at much higher deposition rates that showed an alt ered reconstruction at the C60-Au(111) interface. This variation with deposition rate is attributed to the concerted motion of Au atoms requ ired to lift the reconstruction creating a kinetic constraint.