One-dimensional ordered structure of α-sexithienyl on Cu(110)

We have studied atomic structures of alpha-sexithienyl (6T) films grown on Cu(110) by near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). A one-dimensional (1D) ordered structure of 6T with its molecular long axis parallel to the Cu[001] direction could be fabricated by deposition at 300 K and subsequent annealing at 360 K. Polarization- and azimuth-dependent NEXAFS revealed the formation process of the 1D structure and showed the molecular orientation in the in-plane direction directly. We propose a method to obtain the orientation distribution function of molecules using NEXAFS. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.