@article{LuoUtechtDokicetal.2011, author = {Luo, Ying and Utecht, Manuel Martin and Dokic, Jadranka and Korchak, Sergey and Vieth, Hans-Martin and Haag, Rainer and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {Cis-trans isomerisation of substituted aromatic imines a comparative experimental and theoretical study}, series = {ChemPhysChem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry}, volume = {12}, journal = {ChemPhysChem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry}, number = {12}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1439-4235}, doi = {10.1002/cphc.201100179}, pages = {2311 -- 2321}, year = {2011}, abstract = {The cis-trans isomerisation of N-benzylideneaniline (NBA) and derivatives containing a central C=N bond has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. Eight different NBA molecules in three different solvents were irradiated to enforce a photochemical trans (hv) -> cis isomerisation and the kinetics of the thermal backreaction cis (Delta)-> trans were determined by NMR spectroscopy measurements in the temperature range between 193 and 288 K. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory and Eyring transition-state theory were carried out for 12 different NBA species in the gas phase and three different solvents to compute thermal isomerisation rates of the thermal back reaction. While the computed absolute rates are too large, they reveal and explain experimental trends. Time-dependent density functional theory provides optical spectra for vertical transitions and excitation energy differences between trans and cis forms. Together with isomerisation rates, the latter can be used to identify "optimal switches" with good photochromicity and reasonable thermal stability.}, language = {en} } @article{UtechtGaebelKlamroth2018, author = {Utecht, Manuel Martin and Gaebel, Tina and Klamroth, Tillmann}, title = {Desorption induced by low energy charge carriers on Si(111)-7 x 7}, series = {Journal of computational chemistry : organic, inorganic, physical, biological}, volume = {39}, journal = {Journal of computational chemistry : organic, inorganic, physical, biological}, number = {30}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0192-8651}, doi = {10.1002/jcc.25607}, pages = {2517 -- 2525}, year = {2018}, abstract = {We use clusters for the modeling of local ion resonances caused by low energy charge carriers in STM-induced desorption of benzene derivates from Si(111)-7 x 7. We perform Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics for the charged systems assuming vertical transitions to the charged states at zero temperature, to rationalize the low temperature activation energies, which are found in experiment for chlorobenzene. Our calculations suggest very similar low temperature activation energies for toluene and benzene. For the cationic resonance transitions to physisorption are found even at 0 K, while the anion remains chemisorbed during the propagations. Further, we also extend our previous static quantum chemical investigations to toluene and benzene. In addition, an in depth analysis of the ionization potentials and electron affinities, which are used to estimate resonance energies, is given.}, language = {en} } @article{MaassUtechtStremlauetal.2017, author = {Maass, Friedrich and Utecht, Manuel Martin and Stremlau, Stephan and Gille, Marie and Schwarz, Jutta and Hecht, Stefan and Klamroth, Tillmann and Tegeder, Petra}, title = {Electronic structure changes during the on-surface synthesis of nitrogen-doped chevron-shaped graphene nanoribbons}, series = {Physical review : B, Condensed matter and materials physics}, volume = {96}, journal = {Physical review : B, Condensed matter and materials physics}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, address = {College Park}, issn = {2469-9950}, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.96.045434}, pages = {7}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Utilizing suitable precursor molecules, a thermally activated and surface-assisted synthesis results in the formation of defect-free graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), which exhibit electronic properties that are not present in extended graphene. Most importantly, they have a band gap in the order of a few electron volts, depending on the nanoribbon width. In this study, we investigate the electronic structure changes during the formation of GNRs, nitrogen-doped (singly and doubly N-doped) as well as non-N-doped chevron-shaped CGNRs on Au(111). Thus we determine the optical gaps of the precursor molecules, the intermediate nonaromatic polymers, and finally the aromatic GNRs, using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. As expected, we find no influence of N-doping on the size of the optical gaps. The gap of the precursor molecules is around 4.5 eV. Polymerization leads to a reduction of the gap to a value of 3.2 eV due to elongation and thus enhanced delocalization. The CGNRs exhibit a band gap of 2.8 eV, thus the gap is further reduced in the nanoribbons, since they exhibit an extended delocalized pi-electron system.}, language = {en} } @article{BronnerUtechtHaaseetal.2014, author = {Bronner, Christopher and Utecht, Manuel Martin and Haase, Anton and Saalfrank, Peter and Klamroth, Tillmann and Tegeder, Petra}, title = {Electronic structure changes during the surface-assisted formation of a graphene nanoribbon}, series = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistr}, volume = {140}, journal = {The journal of chemical physics : bridges a gap between journals of physics and journals of chemistr}, number = {2}, publisher = {American Institute of Physics}, address = {Melville}, issn = {0021-9606}, doi = {10.1063/1.4858855}, pages = {7}, year = {2014}, abstract = {High conductivity and a tunability of the band gap make quasi-one-dimensional graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) highly interesting materials for the use in field effect transistors. Especially bottom-up fabricated GNRs possess well-defined edges which is important for the electronic structure and accordingly the band gap. In this study we investigate the formation of a sub-nanometer wide armchair GNR generated on a Au(111) surface. The on-surface synthesis is thermally activated and involves an intermediate non-aromatic polymer in which the molecular precursor forms polyanthrylene chains. Employing angle-resolved two-photon photoemission in combination with density functional theory calculations we find that the polymer exhibits two dispersing states which we attribute to the valence and the conduction band, respectively. While the band gap of the non-aromatic polymer obtained in this way is relatively large, namely 5.25 +/- 0.06 eV, the gap of the corresponding aromatic GNR is strongly reduced which we attribute to the different degree of electron delocalization in the two systems.}, language = {en} } @article{BronnerLeyssnerStremlauetal.2012, author = {Bronner, C. and Leyssner, F. and Stremlau, S. and Utecht, Manuel Martin and Saalfrank, Peter and Klamroth, Tillmann and Tegeder, P.}, title = {Electronic structure of a subnanometer wide bottom-up fabricated graphene nanoribbon: End states, band gap, and dispersion}, series = {Physical review : B, Condensed matter and materials physics}, volume = {86}, journal = {Physical review : B, Condensed matter and materials physics}, number = {8}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, address = {College Park}, issn = {1098-0121}, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.86.085444}, pages = {5}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Angle-resolved two-photon photoemission and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy are employed to derive the electronic structure of a subnanometer atomically precise quasi-one-dimensional graphene nanoribbon (GNR) on Au(111). We resolved occupied and unoccupied electronic bands including their dispersion and determined the band gap, which possesses an unexpectedly large value of 5.1 eV. Supported by density functional theory calculations for the idealized infinite polymer and finite size oligomers, an unoccupied nondispersive electronic state with an energetic position in the middle of the band gap of the GNR could be identified. This state resides at both ends of the ribbon (end state) and is only found in the finite sized systems, i.e., the oligomers.}, language = {en} } @article{UtechtKlamroth2018, author = {Utecht, Manuel Martin and Klamroth, Tillmann}, title = {Local resonances in STM manipulation of chlorobenzene on Si(111)-7x7}, series = {Molecular physics}, volume = {116}, journal = {Molecular physics}, number = {13}, publisher = {Routledge, Taylor \& Francis Group}, address = {Abingdon}, issn = {0026-8976}, doi = {10.1080/00268976.2018.1442939}, pages = {1687 -- 1696}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Hot localised charge carriers on the Si(111)-7x7 surface are modelled by small charged clusters. Such resonances induce non-local desorption, i.e. more than 10 nm away from the injection site, of chlorobenzene in scanning tunnelling microscope experiments. We used such a cluster model to characterise resonance localisation and vibrational activation for positive and negative resonances recently. In this work, we investigate to which extent the model depends on details of the used cluster or quantum chemistry methods and try to identify the smallest possible cluster suitable for a description of the neutral surface and the ion resonances. Furthermore, a detailed analysis for different chemisorption orientations is performed. While some properties, as estimates of the resonance energy or absolute values for atomic changes, show such a dependency, the main findings are very robust with respect to changes in the model and/or the chemisorption geometry. [GRAPHICS] .}, language = {en} } @article{SchulzeUtechtMoldtetal.2015, author = {Schulze, Michael and Utecht, Manuel Martin and Moldt, Thomas and Przyrembel, Daniel and Gahl, Cornelius and Weinelt, Martin and Saalfrank, Peter and Tegeder, Petra}, title = {Nonlinear optical response of photochromic azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers}, series = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, volume = {17}, journal = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, number = {27}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1463-9076}, doi = {10.1039/c5cp03093e}, pages = {18079 -- 18086}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The combination of photochromic and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) constitutes an intriguing step towards novel photonic and optoelectronic devices. By utilizing the second-order NLO process of second harmonic generation (SHG), supported by density-functional theory and correlated wave function method calculations, we demonstrate that the photochromic interface provides the necessary prerequisites en route towards possible future technical applications: we find a high NLO contrast on the order of 16\% between the switching states. These are furthermore accessible reversibly and with high efficiencies in terms of cross sections on the order of 10(-18) cm(2) for both photoisomerization reactions, i.e., drivable by means of low-power LED light sources. Finally, both photostationary states (PSSs) are thermally stable at ambient conditions.}, language = {en} } @article{SchulzeUtechtMoldtetal.2015, author = {Schulze, Michael and Utecht, Manuel Martin and Moldt, Thomas and Przyrembel, Daniel and Gahl, Cornelius and Weinelt, Martin and Saalfrank, Peter and Tegeder, Petra}, title = {Nonlinear optical response of photochromic azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers}, series = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : PCCP ; a journal of European Chemical Societies}, volume = {27}, journal = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : PCCP ; a journal of European Chemical Societies}, number = {17}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1463-9076}, doi = {10.1039/c5cp03093e}, pages = {18079 -- 18086}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The combination of photochromic and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) constitutes an intriguing step towards novel photonic and optoelectronic devices. By utilizing the second-order NLO process of second harmonic generation (SHG), supported by density-functional theory and correlated wave function method calculations, we demonstrate that the photochromic interface provides the necessary prerequisites en route towards possible future technical applications: we find a high NLO contrast on the order of 16\% between the switching states. These are furthermore accessible reversibly and with high efficiencies in terms of cross sections on the order of 10-18 cm2 for both photoisomerization reactions, i.e., drivable by means of low-power LED light sources. Finally, both photostationary states (PSSs) are thermally stable at ambient conditions.}, language = {en} } @article{UtechtKlamrothSaalfrank2011, author = {Utecht, Manuel Martin and Klamroth, Tillmann and Saalfrank, Peter}, title = {Optical absorption and excitonic coupling in azobenzenes forming self-assembled monolayers a study based on density functional theory}, series = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, volume = {13}, journal = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, number = {48}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1463-9076}, doi = {10.1039/c1cp22793a}, pages = {21608 -- 21614}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Based on the analysis of optical absorption spectra, it has recently been speculated that the excitonic coupling between individual azobenzene-functionalized alkanethiols arranged in a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold surface could be strong enough to hinder collective trans-cis isomerization-on top of steric hindrance [Gahl et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 1831]. Using models of SAMs of increasing complexity (dimer, linear N-mers, and two-dimensionally arranged N-mers) and density functional theory on the (TD-) B3LYP/6-31G* level, we determine optical absorption spectra, the nature and magnitude of excitonic couplings, and the corresponding spectral shifts. It is found that at inter-monomer distances of about 20 angstrom and above, TD-B3LYP excitation frequencies (and signal intensities) can be well described by the frequently used point-dipole approximation. Further, calculated blue shifts in optical absorption spectra account for the experimental observations made for azobenzene/gold SAMs, and hint to the fact that they can indeed be responsible for reduced switching probability in densely packed self-assembled structures.}, language = {en} } @article{KnieUtechtZhaoetal.2014, author = {Knie, Christopher and Utecht, Manuel Martin and Zhao, Fangli and Kulla, Hannes and Kovalenko, Sergey and Brouwer, Albert M. and Saalfrank, Peter and Hecht, Stefan and Bleger, David}, title = {ortho-Fluoroazobenzenes: visible light switches with very long-lived Z isomers}, series = {Chemistry - a European journal}, volume = {20}, journal = {Chemistry - a European journal}, number = {50}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {0947-6539}, doi = {10.1002/chem.201404649}, pages = {16492 -- 16501}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Improving the photochemical properties of molecular photoswitches is crucial for the development of light-responsive systems in materials and life sciences. ortho-Fluoroazobenzenes are a new class of rationally designed photochromic azo compounds with optimized properties, such as the ability to isomerize with visible light only, high photoconversions, and unprecedented robust bistable character. Introducing sigma-electron-withdrawing F atoms ortho to the N=N unit leads to both an effective separation of the n -> pi* bands of the E and Z isomers, thus offering the possibility of using these two transitions for selectively inducing E/Z iso-merizations, and greatly enhanced thermal stability of the Z isomers. Additional para-electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs) work in concert with ortho-F atoms, giving rise to enhanced separation of the n -> pi* transitions. A comprehensive study of the effect of substitution on the key photochemical properties of ortho-fluoroazobenzenes is reported herein. In particular, the position, number, and nature of the EWGs have been varied, and the visible light photoconversions, quantum yields of isomerization, and thermal stabilities have been measured and rationalized by DFT calculations.}, language = {en} }