In this talk I will discuss the steps we have taken so far in pursuing the goal of synthesising a 2D organic topological insulator comprised of 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA) as the organic species. In particular, I will discuss our recently published results regarding a formation of a sub-monolayer of DCA molecules on Ag(111) where the individual molecular species exhibit charging when an electric field–induced by an STM tip–is applied and that this charging behaviour is dependent on subtle molecule-surface interactions. I will also present preliminary results where DCA and metal adatoms are introduced on a metallic surface to form an extended 2D organometallic nanostructure.
About the speaker
Dhaneesh Kumar Gopalakrishnan is an PhD student working with Dr Agustin Schiffrin at Monash University. Within FLEET’s research theme 1, Dhaneesh synthesises and characterises 2D organic-based materials, searching for those that exhibit topological electronic properties. Synthesis and characterisation of these materials are carried out in the state-of-the-art scanning probe microscopy set-up in the Schiffrin lab, enabling precise engineering and probing of these materials down to the atomic scale.