Strong intermolecular electronic coupling within a tetrathiafulvalene island embedded in self-assembled monolayers.

Electroactive tetrathiafulvalene thiol, specially designed to pursue an intermolecular electronic coupling, was embedded in an n-alkanethiol SAM matrix as islands and was studied under potential control using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy. The apparent height of the islands increased with the island size, irrespective of the oxidation state of the tetrathiafulvalene backbones. This behavior can be rationalized on the basis of the strong intermolecular electronic coupling that creates efficient intermolecular conduction paths.