Noncontact atomic force microscopy of perfect single crystals of pentacene prepared by crystallization from solution.

Nearly perfect single crystals of pentacene were grown from trichlorobenzene solution. The surface structure of pentacene single crystals has been investigated by frequency modulation atomic force microscopy. Molecularly flat and extraordinarily wide terraces, extended over the width of more than a few micrometers with monomolecular steps, were consistently observed, suggesting that those pentacene crystals were nearly perfect single crystals. Molecular packing arrangements were revealed by FM-AFM for the first time.