Figure 41

Fig. 41: Top view projection of the Au(110)-p(6x5) surface reconstruction. The relative heights of the Au atoms are indicated by different colours (darker colours represent deeper atoms). The dashed circles are the projections of the fullerene molecules which are ordered in a hexagonal close packed arrangement. By looking at the substrate atoms underneath the central fullerene molecule, one may observe that a total of seven Au atoms have been displaced from their original positions in the substrate (the topmost four atoms plus 3 atoms in the second level) in order to form a cavity to accommodate the fullerene. This indicates an interaction between the fullerenes and the Au surface which is much stronger than through van der Waals forces alone.