Scanning tunneling microscope study of iron(II) phthalocyanine growth on metals and insulating surfaces

The growth behavior of iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) molecules on Cu(111) and on NaCl/Cu(111) surfaces has been studied by a variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. Upon deposition at room temperature, FePc molecules with different adsorption configurations form short-ranged ordered domains on Cu(111). In the second FePc monolayer long-range ordering is observed. Molecule–molecule and molecule–substrate interactions are discussed in comparison with previous findings for FePc on Au(111). In order to reduce molecule–substrate interaction insulating NaCl layers are introduced. FePc molecules adsorb on Cl- anion sites but show high mobility during preparation. Our results provide detailed insight into the growth behavior of organic molecules on metallic and insulating surfaces