Directed organization of C70 kagome lattice by titanyl phthalocyanine monolayer template.

Controlled deposition of titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) on Ag(111) produces a honeycomb monolayer phase consisting of TiOPc molecules with two distinctive tilt angles. This periodic arrangement of polar molecules is used to direct C(70) growth into low-density 3D films with novel C(70) kagome lattice arrangements. Structural models for the C(70) kagome lattice are determined from layer-by-layer scanning tunneling microscopy images and related to the dipolar TiOPc template and C(70)'s anisotropic polarizability. Molecular templates with designed electrostatic features offer a practical method to control 3D film organization on the nanoscale by harnessing anisotropic molecular interactions at the growth interface.