Scanning-tunneling-microscopy study of the solid-phase pure Sc2C84 metallofullerene

The field-ion scanning-tunneling microscope has been employed to study the Sc2C84 metallofullerenes as individual-molecule adsorbates and as a solid-phase crystalline film on the Si(100)2×1 surface. The results suggest that the Sc atoms are captured inside the C84 cage and that a significant amount of charge transfer to the cage takes place. The properties of Sc2C84 in the solid phase are similar to those of the pristine C84 fullerene, i.e., the intermolecular bonding is from the van der Waals interaction. However, the intermolecular distance becomes smaller compared to the pristine C84.