Abstract :
We have studied the initial stages of adsorption of C60 on the Pt (1 1 0)-(1 2) surface by means of STM. At room temperature, fullerene
molecules adsorb in the troughs between two adjacent Pt rows of the missing row reconstruction. Mobility over the terraces is negligible, denoting
strong bonding with the surface, also testified by a well-defined orientation of fullerene monomers with respect to the substrate. Upon annealing at
750 K, molecular migration towards kinks and step edges occurs, where small islands nucleation begins. A commensurate registry with the
substrate is maintained by small (5–10 molecules) C60 aggregates, leading to expanded nearest-neighbour distances with respect to those found in
hexagonal close packed fullerene ad-islands grown on other metallic substrates.
